Armed men attack Ctg construction site after 'Tk20 lakh extortion demand'

Highlights:

• Owner alleges Tk20 lakh extortion demand via WhatsApp.
• Two workers injured during attack, police investigating.
• CCTV footage captures masked assailants at scene.
• Locals report similar threats targeting other developers.

A group of armed men attacked a construction site in Chattogram's South Pahartali area this morning (26 July), vandalising a 10-storey building under construction and injuring at least two workers after the owner allegedly refused to pay a Tk20 lakh extortion demand.

The attackers also reportedly detonated three crude bombs while fleeing the scene, according to police and the building owner.

The incident occurred at around 9:00am in a residential area near the Boro Dighir Par–Bhatiari Link Road under Ward No 1 of Chattogram City Corporation.

According to police and local residents, seven to eight masked men arrived at the site in a three-wheeler while construction work was underway. They allegedly entered the building, assaulted workers and vandalised doors, windows and other parts of the structure.

Construction worker Hasan Saki sustained injuries after he was allegedly attacked with a kirich, a locally made sharp weapon. The building's security guard and several other workers were also sustained injuries, police said.

CCTV footage obtained by The Business Standard shows seven to eight people getting off a three-wheeler before entering the building and carrying out the attack.

Building owner Mohammad Jasim Uddin said he had been receiving WhatsApp messages from foreign phone numbers demanding Tk20 lakh in extortion over the past month.

"After the attack on an internet service provider in the city, they remained silent for a few days. But over the past week, they started sending WhatsApp messages again demanding money. I informed police about the matter earlier. I will file a case over today's incident," he told TBS.

Asked who had made the demands, Jasim said the senders had never disclosed their identities.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Hathazari Circle) Kazi Tarek Aziz said police had begun investigating the allegations.

"A case is being processed. We are working to identify those involved in the attack," he told TBS.

He said the victim had alleged that both his rice business and construction project had been targeted for extortion.

"The victim said he had been receiving WhatsApp messages demanding Tk20 lakh over the past few days. However, the senders did not identify themselves," the police officer added.

Police have collected CCTV footage from the scene and are analysing it to identify and arrest those involved.

Local residents alleged that owners of at least eight to 10 other buildings under construction in the area had also received similar extortion demands through phone calls and online messaging platforms.

Earlier, on 13 July, armed men attacked and vandalised the office of an internet service provider on Access Road in Chattogram's Chawkbazar area.

Police and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) later arrested at least 20 people in separate drives in connection with that incident.