Haji Mizanur Rahman, 42, also an UP member, died on way to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) while Chairman of Sultanganj Union Parishad Haji Monir Hossain, 42, was admitted to Chest Diseases Hospital at Mohakhali. The local, Abdullah, 25, was being treated at a local clinic.

Monir, Mizanur and some local elders were gossiping near London Market in Sultanganj at 9:00pm minutes after completing an arbitration there when five unknown people opened fire on them, according to the victims' relatives and witnesses.

A bullet hit Mizanur in the head and another struck Monir's left armpit. Local youth Abdullah also received a bullet in the right knee.

Mizanur's brother Abdul Karim said local influential Abdul Aziz and his sons became furious at Sultanganj UP chairman and his council members as they decided Monday to demolish a part of Aziz and some others' houses to extend the road from Ashrafabad to Keraniganj.

Aziz and the affected locals threatened to stop the move to demolish their houses 'at any cost', Karim said, hinting that Aziz might have masterminded the attack.

In another incident at Shyampur, seven to eight local hoodlums demanded Tk 2 lakh from Aslam, 25, at his shop 'Rockey VCD' at Bhai Bhai Market at 9:30pm.

As he refused to pay them the toll, one of the extortionists shot Aslam in the left knee.

Traders of the market rushed him to the DMCH. No further details were immediately available.