Army Personnel Killed in Gunfight with Human Trafficking Gang in Teknaf

A Bangladesh Army soldier was killed in a gunfight with an armed human trafficking gang during a joint forces operation in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar on Thursday.

The soldier, identified as Md Titas Sheikh, 27, died at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Ramu on Thursday night after sustaining gunshot wounds. The operation also led to the rescue of 57 people held hostage by the gang and the detention of five suspects, along with the seizure of firearms and ammunition.

The gunfight took place in a remote hilly area of Rongikhali in Hnila union of Teknaf on Thursday afternoon.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate, intelligence sources had reported that an armed human trafficking gang of 15–16 members was holding around 120 Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals captive in the Rongikhali area.

Acting on the information, a joint operational team comprising members of the Bangladesh Army's 10 Infantry Division, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and police reached the location at around 5pm.

Sensing the presence of the security forces, the armed traffickers opened fire, triggering an exchange of gunfire between the two sides.

During the confrontation, soldier Titas Sheikh was shot in the left shoulder and critically injured. He was immediately rescued and given initial treatment at a nearby hospital before being transferred to CMH Ramu for advanced medical care, where the attending doctor declared him dead, the ISPR said.

Titas, son of Afzal Hossain, hailed from Laskardia village in Nagarkanda upazila of Faridpur. He was serving at the Rongikhali Army Camp in Teknaf.

During the operation, security forces recovered a pistol, a locally made firearm and four rounds of ammunition from the scene.

Five suspected members of the human trafficking gang were detained, while 57 people held captive were successfully rescued.

In a statement, the Bangladesh Army paid tribute to the young soldier, expressing profound respect for his supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.

The Army also prayed for the eternal peace of his departed soul and conveyed its deepest condolences to the bereaved family.