Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan yesterday defended crossfire deaths saying the law enforcement agencies opened fire during the anti-narcotics drives only in self-defence.

Two alleged drug traders are killed in separate “gunfights” with Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in Kushtia and Narayanganj early today.

An alleged Myanmarese yaba smuggler was killed when a gang of Myanmarese yaba smugglers and BGB exchanged fire in the Naf river in Teknaf upazila early yesterday.