Police said, the slain, Shahidur Rahman, 34, who was an activist of Bagerhat district Awami League, has been killed for refusing to pay the toll.

According to eyewitnesses, at about 11pm on Saturday, a group led by JCD leader Tanu Bhiyan took Shahidur Rahman away at gunpoint from his shop to a place behind the Bagerhat cinema hall and beat him mercilessly. As Shahidur cried out for help, locals rushed to the spot and took him to the Bagerhat general hospital. Later he was shifted to Khulna Medical College Hospital, where he succumbed to the injuries at 2am.

Meanwhile, Shahidur's family members said, JCD leader Tanu Bhuiyan and his accomplices, Babu, Roux and two others, have threatened Shahidur's wife not to lodge FIR.

All shops of Bagerhat town remained shuttered yesterday in protest at the killing. Businessmen and Bagerhat district Awami League demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.