Bangladesh police shot dead three activists from the country’s largest Islamist party in clashes on Sunday, officers said, amid allegations security forces are targeting opposition supporters for execution.
Police said the three were killed during two separate gunbattles with bomb-throwing activists from the Jamaat-e-Islami party in two southeastern towns, clashes that also left several officers injured.
“They threw bombs at us and the joint forces opened fire in self-defence. A gunfight ensued,” a local police chief, Shahjahan Ali, said.
Jamaat said the men were instead arrested and taken to remote places where they were shot dead execution-style. The party said the deaths were the latest in a series of such killings.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced a crackdown on opposition unrest after her victory in a January 5 general election, which was marred by deadly violence and an opposition boycott.
Jamaat, blamed for much of the violence in the run-up to the election, said at least 59 opposition activists and party officials have now been shot dead since December 12 when it says the killings started.
Police insist most of those who died were killed during clashes with security forces who were firing in self-defence.