An expatriate was seriously injured as he was hacked in the Alipur area under Begumganj upazila in Noakhali on Saturday, allegedly for refusing to pay extortion money.
Witnesses said that the victim, Md Salauddin, better known as Ridon, was attacked at about 10:45am in front of the Contractor Pole of the Alipur area in Chaumuhani Municipality.
The victim was first taken to Noakhali General Hospital and was later referred to Dhaka for advanced treatment.
Salauddin of the Alipur area was working with his mother Lucky Begum in South Africa before returning to Bangladesh about a year ago.
He was preparing to travel to Qatar next month.
According to his uncle Abdul Kader, Salauddin recently sold some ancestral land in his village. Following the sale, a group of local youths, including Rocky, Sohag, Rahat, Fahad, and Zaker, allegedly demanded money from him.
Salauddin, however, refused to pay the extortion money, Kader alleged.
On Saturday morning, while heading towards his in-laws鈥� house by a motorcycle, Salauddin was intercepted by the accused and their accomplices near Joynal Abedin School in the municipal area, he said.
The attackers hacked him indiscriminately and left the wrist of his left hand severely damaged and one of its fingers cut off, he said.
He said that the attackers also took Tk 5 lakh in cash, a motorcycle, and a smartphone from Salauddin before fleeing the spot.
Locals later rescued him and rushed him to the hospital.
Abdul Kader further alleged that the attackers were known drug peddlers in the area.
Attempts to reach Rocky, Sohag, and Rahat over the phone for comments were unsuccessful.
Begumganj Police Station officer-in-charge Liton Dewan said that the police visited the spot and collected some video footage.
No case was lodged and no one was arrested in this connection until Saturday evening.