A driver of Kumarkhali Municipality in Kushtia died at his workplace on Wednesday as he was allegedly punched by a surveyor of the municipality during a dispute over unpaid wages.
The deceased driver is Shahidul Islam, 57.
The incident took place at the municipal building at about聽 9:30am.
Quoting local people, Kumarkhali police station officer-in-charge Khondkar Ziaur Rahman said that the municipality, established in 1869, employed 57 officials who collectively owed nearly Tk 10 crore in due wages for 42 months.
Shahidul had locked several office rooms in protest when the confrontation with the surveyor, Firozul Islam, occurred.
The municipal staff immediately found Shahidul lying on the floor of room number 101 and rushed him to Kumarkhali Upazila Health Complex, where doctors pronounced him dead, the police official said.
On information, a team of police recovered the body and sent it to Kushtia General Hospital morgue for a post-mortem examination.
The OC said that they were trying to nab the suspect and that legal action would be taken against those found involved in the incident.
Shahidul鈥檚 daughter Subarna Khatun said that her father聽had repeatedly been denied his wages.
鈥榃hen he went to demand his payment, the surveyor assaulted him and locked him in an office room,鈥� she claimed.
Following the incident, Shahidul鈥檚 relatives and local people reportedly attacked Firozul鈥檚 home at Sherkandi and staged a protest by blocking the main gate of the municipal office, demanding justice.
The accused, Firozul, however, went into hiding after the incident.
He could not be reached over the phone despite repeated attempts for his comment in this connection.
