Six people died and another fell critically ill between Thursday night and Sunday after they had reportedly consumed toxic liquor in Dingedah area of Chuadanga sadar upazila.
The deceased were identified as Kheder Ali, 40, a resident of Nafarkanti village, Mohammad Selim, 40, a fish trader from Khejura village, Mohammad Laltu alias Ripu, 30, a van driver from Pirojkhali village, Mohammad Shahid, 45, a worker from Shankarchandra village, Mohammad Samir, 55, a mill worker from Dingedah village, and Sardar Mohammad Laltu, 52, also a wage labourer from Dingedah village.
Another man, Alim Uddin, a daily wage labourer from the same area, who fell critically ill, is undergoing treatment at Chuadanga Sadar Hospital.
Chuadanga additional superintendent of police (crime and operations) Jamal Al Naser said that some men reportedly consumed alcohol together in Dingedah Bazar area on Thursday night.
鈥極ne by one, six of them died. The matter came to light when the last victim passed away at hospital on Sunday,鈥� he said.
The police were visiting the homes of the deceased and an investigation was under way in this connection, he added.
Meanwhile, local residents alleged that illegal liquor, often referred to as 鈥榮pirit鈥�, was being sold openly in Dingedah market for long amid lax monitoring by authorities.
Local people demanded urgent administrative action to stop illegal alcohol sale in the area.
