Armed miscreants attacked a naval police patrol team suddenly on Padma River in Kushtia. Five members of the naval police, including the officer-in-charge (OC), were shot. The injured police members were stationed at the Lakshikunda naval outpost in Ishwardi, Pabna.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over law and order in the border-adjacent river areas.
The occurrence happened between approximately 1:10 am and 1:50 am last night in the Haripur section of Kushtia district, adjacent to Pabna, along the Padma River, according to police and local sources.
At that time, an unidentified armed assailant team suddenly opened fire on the patrol team.
In response, the naval police returned fire in self-defence, leading to a brief gunfight between both sides. During the clash, the in-charge (OC) of the Lakshikunda naval outpost, Khandakar Shafiqul Islam, was shot. Other injured police members include Enamul Haque, Shahinur Haque, Nazmul Hasan, and Manik Mia.
The injured personnel were immediately rescued and first taken to Pabna Sadar Hospital. One critically injured officer was later transferred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.
Additional police and naval patrols have been deployed in the area following the incident, Md Mashiur Rahman, additional superintendent of police of Pabna, said. Efforts are ongoing to identify and arrest the attackers, he added.
Kushtia Superintendent of Police Mohammad Jasim Uddin stated that two police teams from Kushtia have already visited the scene.
This section of the Padma River has long been known as a hotspot for smuggling, illegal sand extraction, and the movement of inter-district criminal networks, according to law enforcement sources. The attack during a late-night patrol suggests that an organised criminal group may have carried it out to protect their operations.
Experts emphasise the need for enhanced technology-based surveillance, coordinated patrols, and stronger intelligence activities to maintain law and order along river routes. They also stress improving coordination among local administration, naval police, and other agencies in border river areas.