A union-level leader of Jamaat-e-Islami was killed in a “shootout” with police in Kaliganj upazila of Satkhira early today.

Five law enforcers of Kaliganj Police Station also sustained minor injuries during the “gunfight” that took place at Bhadrakhali in the upazila around 1:15am, reports our Satkhira correspondent.

Deceased Asharaful Islam, Jamaat secretary of Kushalia union in the upazila and a Rokon (full-member) of the unit, was the superintendent of local Satpur Dakhil Madrasa, said Golam Rahman, officer-in-charge of the police station.

On receiving information that a gang of criminals were holding a clandestine meeting on the playground of Bhadrakhali Primary School to carry out subversive activities, a police team conducted a raid at the school premises, said OC Rahman.

As the team reached there, the criminals opened fire and hurled several crude bombs targeting the law enforcers forcing them to retaliate by firing, triggering a 15-minute “gunfight”.

Police found bullet-hit Islam lying on the ground when all the gang members fled the scene, the police official added.

Islam was declared “brought dead” when police rushed him to Kaliganj Upazila Health Complex around 1:45am, a doctor of the health complex told our correspondent.

However, Md Moslemuddin, Jamaat ameer of Kaliganj upazila unit, and the victim’s wife Papia Khatun claimed that police picked up Islam from his Thekra house around 12:30am. Later, the law enforcers gunned down him taking on the playground, they said.

Islam was accused in two cases – one for creating anarchy while another for attacking police in the upazila, the OC said.

Injured sub-inspector Mohin Ali Tarafdar and four constables -- Md Kamaluddin, Shariful Islam, Abdul Jabbar and Ahad Ali – received primary treatment from the health complex.