Police said a gang of about 30-35 pirates, who boarded the Habiganj-bound launch from Bhairab Bazar in the guise of passengers, swooped on the passengers when the launch reached near Kalapara at about 1:00am.

As the pirates started looting valuables of the passengers, the ansar members opened fire on them, killing two of the gang on the spot.

One of the dead was identified as Mostafizur Rahman Suman, 30, of Barisal. Identity of the other could not be known. The remaining pirates decamped with the booty worth about Tk 5 lakh.

Meanwhile, a launch with some 300 passengers aboard narrowly escaped an accident in the river Meghna at Haimchar under Chandpur district on Monday night.

Sources said the Dhaka-bound launch, MV Bogdadia-8, developed a crack on its deck as it sailed from Charbhairabi at about 8:00pm.

As some of the passengers saw water pouring into the launch through the crack near Haimchar ghat, the driver drove it to the shore.