Five youths ringed dredging contractor Shamsul Haq, 40, on a road near Mintu Market at Par Gendaria at about 11:30am and stabbed him several times in the neck and throat, sources said.

Hearing his cry, locals chased the criminals but failed to catch anyone. Shamsul died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) at around 12:30pm, sources added.

Shamsul, also a land broker, was supposed to meet some Dhaka Central Jail officials in the afternoon in connection with a land deal in Par Gendaria area, his family said.

His elder sister Rina Kashem claimed, "Atiq and Faizul threatened to kill my brother about 12 days ago due to a long-standing feud over dredging contract."

Local police failed to arrest any of the killers till 6:30 in the evening.

In Demra, Mahiuddin hacked to death his former roommate Sohel Kha, 15, in their bedroom early yesterday, police suspect.

Demra police recovered the body in the morning and sent it to Mitford hospital for autopsy. Mahiuddin went into hiding.

The victim shared a rented room at Taradogair with Mahiuddin, who was sacked a few months ago from the local sweetmeat shop where Sohel worked, police added.

Sohel's mother Komla Begum lodged a case with Demra Police Station accusing Mahiuddin of the murder.