Dhaka, Dec 12 (IANS): At least five people were killed Thursday and 25 injured as Rapid Action Battalion members opened fire at opposition activists in Laxmipur town of Bangladesh.

Protesting the deaths, activists of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led 18-party opposition alliance laid siege since noon to the police lines area where the Rapid Action Battalion members were present, The Daily Star reported.

The deceased have been identified as Iqbal Mahmud Jewel, senior vice-president of district Juba Dal, Shihab Hossain, a Shibir activist, Sumon, Juba Dal activist, Mahbubur Rahman, a business man, and an unidentified youth aged around 30.

A tense situation has been prevailing in the town after the opposition had called a dawn-to-dusk strike in the area Saturday.

The problem erupted when a team of the Rapid Action Battalion members conducted a raid in the house of district BNP general secretary Sahabuddin Sabu in the morning.

The battalion members shot at Sabu’s leg, and picked up his younger brother Azizul Karim after being resisted by their family members.

Hearing the news, activists of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the student wing of the BNP, brought out a procession, and clashed with the Rapid Action Battalion members in Chalkbazar area.

These members opened fire in return to bring the situation under control, leaving at least 28 opposition activists injured.