A suspected pirate was killed in a ‘gunfight’ with the members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Dorjarkhal area of Sharankhola upazila early Monday.

The deceased was identified as Khalilur Rahman, 32, hailing from Pathorghata upazila of Barguna district and second-in-command of pirate gang ‘Monir Bahini’.

A team of the elite forces conducted a drive in the Sharankhola range of the forest Sunday night, said Colonel Faridul Alam, commanding officer of Barisal RAB-8.

Sensing the presence of the RAB members, the pirates opened fire on them prompting the elite force members to fire back, triggering a gunfight around 5:30am.

After half an hour-long fight, the pirates fled the scene. Later, the RAB members recovered the body from the spot. Local fishermen identified the deceased as Khalil.

The RAB members also recovered four foreign single-barrel guns, three local semi-rifles, one air gun, three homemade pipe-guns, six machetes and 100 rounds of bullets from the spot.