UPDATE: Army personnel killed in ‘exchange of fire’ with human traffickers in Teknaf

An army personnel was killed during an exchange of gunfire with members of a human trafficking ring in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, on Thursday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

Acting on intelligence that around 120 Rohingya and Bangladeshi citizens had been held hostage by 15–16 armed traffickers in a remote hilly area of Rangikhali, a joint team comprising members of the Bangladesh Army's 10 Infantry Division, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and local police launched an operation.

The team reached the spot at around 5pm. Sensing the presence of the joint forces, “the armed traffickers opened indiscriminate fire, triggering an exchange of gunfire between the two sides,” the statement said.

During the exchange, Bangladesh Army soldier Md Titas Sheikh, 27, was shot in the left shoulder and sustained serious injuries, resulting in heavy blood loss.

He was taken to a nearby hospital for initial treatment before being shifted to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Ramu, where the attending doctor declared him dead.

“During the operation, the joint forces recovered one pistol, one locally made gun and four rounds of ammunition from the scene. They also arrested five members of the human trafficking ring and rescued 57 people who had been held hostage,” the statement said.

“The Bangladesh Army pays deep tribute to the young soldier who sacrificed his life while on duty in the service of the motherland. The army also prays for the salvation of his departed soul and expresses its deepest condolences to the bereaved family,” it added.