Worker hacked, cocktails exploded as armed gang attacks Chattogram building over unpaid extortion

A group of armed assailants allegedly attacked, vandalised and detonated crude bombs (cocktails) at a businessman's under-construction 10-storey building in Chattogram after he refused to pay a Tk 20 lakh extortion demand. One construction worker was hacked and critically injured in the attack, which has created panic in the area.

The incident occurred around 8am on Sunday (July 26) in a residential area off the Baro Dighirpar-Bhatiary Link Road in Dakkhin Pahartali Ward under the Chattogram City Corporation.

According to police and eyewitnesses, about 10 masked and armed men arrived in a "tempo" vehicle at businessman Mohammad Jasim Uddin's under-construction building. They assaulted the workers, vandalised doors and windows, and hacked construction worker Hasan Saki with a sharp weapon, leaving him critically injured. Several other workers, including the building's security guard, were also assaulted. Before fleeing, the attackers detonated three crude bombs.

Chattogram Additional Superintendent of Police (Hathazari Circle) Kazi Md Tarek Aziz said the attack was captured on CCTV footage, and police are working to identify and bring those responsible to justice.

Businessman Mohammad Jasim Uddin claimed he had been receiving extortion calls from a foreign number for the past month demanding Tk 20 lakh. He said the calls had stopped briefly but resumed about a week ago. He has informed the police and will file a case over the attack. However, he could not identify who was demanding the money.

Residents claimed that the building was not the only target, alleging that eight to ten other under-construction buildings in the Baro Dighirpar area had received similar extortion demands by phone.