Two constructions workers were shot dead and another was wounded by unnamed people at Madhya Badda in the capital Dhaka on Tuesday morning reportedly over the payment of extortion money. The deceased were Faruk Hawlader, 30, a brick layer, and Milon Hossain, 19, a day laborer. The other laborer who was injured is Md Mahmud, 35, also brother-in-law of Milon, was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in a critical condition.
Local people and the police said the at three people shot them in the chest and waist at their workplace at Moynarbagh near Hossain Market of Madhya Badda about 8:30am. The three exploded a crude bomb and left the place.
The police seized another bomb in the area that did not go off.
The victims were sent to the DMCH where Milon and Faruk were pronounced dead dead.
The families said that the victims had been shot as they refused to pay extortion money.
Faruk’s mother-in-law Tahmina Begum said that miscreants had demanded
money for her son-in-law as he was the building contractor of the site. They even asked for money on Monday night, said Tahmina.
A local people said that at least five workers were working at the place when they were attacked. ‘Suddenly, three people came here and started firing. As we tried to stop them, they exploded bombs and left,’ a witness said.
Faroque Hawlader, owner of the site, said that a few had demanded money from him six to seven days ago. ‘I received a call and the caller demanded money.’
He suspected that extortionists might have killed them.
Milon and Mamhud left the home for the construction site at 7:45am.
Mahmud’s wife Hanufa Begum, also sister of Milon, said that they were usually paid Tk 400 a day. ‘My husband and brother had nothing to do with the extortion. Why were they killed?’
A process was under way to file a case and none was arrested till 5:30pm.
Gulshan zone police assistant commissioner Nurul Alam told New Age that they were mainly focusing on two issues — extortion and personal enmity.
The bodies were kept in the hospital morgue for post-mortem examinations.
-With New Age input
