Khulna and Jessore districts were put on high alert following the incident that took place at 5:30pm in Jugnipasha village, 26 kilometres off Khulna city -- reminiscent of similar attacks on law enforcers before.

The attack blamed on the outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) underlines security fears that led the government to launch an anticrime crackdown codenamed Operation Spider Web in the district on July 19.

Police said the attack came as Lieutenant Faruque Abdullah, head of the joint forces camp in Jamira, led a raid on a house in the village where the extremists were holding a secret meeting.

Police named the dead Shawkat Ali, 35, and linked him to the PBCP, blamed for a series of high-profile killings in the district over the years. The body was taken into the custody of joint forces.

Among the injured, Lieutenant Faruque was admitted to Jessore Combined Military Hospital with bullet wounds

Four others, wounded in the half-an-hour armed confrontation with 50 rounds, are Officer-in-Charge of Phultala Police Station Ashraful Islam and constables Abdul Mannan, Manzurul Islam and Nazmul.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abdul Aziz Sarkar said the four policemen were admitted to Phultala Health Complex with bullet wounds.

Amin, 30, Momin, 28, and Mashiur, 32, were kept under tight security in Phultala Police Station after they were arrested with guns, the DIG added.

The joint forces launched combing operations in Abhoynagar, Phultala and Dumuria -- the upazilas believed to be strong bases of underground operatives.