Shawdesh Desk: An activist of United Peoples’ Democratic Front was killed in an army shootout at Dopata of Baghaihat in Rangamati on Friday.

Sumon Chakma, a man in his forties, was killed during a gunfight with soldiers at Baghaihat under Baghaichari upazila in Rangamati in the morning, said a press release issued by Inter-Services Public Relations, the media wing of Bangladesh armed forces.

Sumon was an activist of Prachit Jyoti Khisha-led faction of UPDF and also a suspect in the murder of Nannerchar upazila chairman Shaktiman Chakma, police said.

An army team conducted a drive at Dopata to arrest some hooligans, said the release.

As they turned up at the spot a group of miscreants opened fire on them at about 10:30am and the soldiers retaliated by firing.

The gunfight lasted for about five minutes until the attackers retreated.

Sumon Chakma, however, was shot and killed during the gunfight, claimed the ISPR release.

UPDF leader in Khagrachari district Angya Marma, however, told reporters that Sumon was their former activist.

Sumon’s death was reported only five days after an army soldier Nasim, 19, was shot to death as miscreants opened fire on an army patrol team at Poaithupara under Rajsthali upazila in the district on August 18 morning.

Shaktiman Chakma, also vice-president of MN Larma faction of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity, known as PCJSS (MN Larma), was shot to death by unidentified assailants near his office at the upazila headquarters on May 3, 2018.