Witnesses said a group of youths went to Hotel Meghna Inter-national at Moghbazar at around 11:30am and inquired the employees about the owner.

As they failed to give information about the whereabouts of the owner, the youths sprayed bullets indiscriminately on them, leaving Amir Hossain, 38, dead on the spot.

Monir Hossain, 32, Tara Mia, 42, Alamgir Hossain, 30 and Kabir Hossain, 35 received injuries at the incident and they have been sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for treatment.

The injured employees said the extortionists, left the hotel shortly after the shooting, came to collect toll from the owner.

As police rushed there, an anonymous caller made two phone calls to the hotel received by a policeman.

Sub-Inspector Masud said the caller made the call to threaten the hotelier and also informed that similar occurrence took place at Hotel Sunrise of Malibagh Chowdhurypara.

Three youths opened fire on the employees of the hotel, as they failed to say the whereabouts of the employer leaving three people bullet-hit.

The injured-- manager Subol Babu Das, Rafiqul Alam and Akhter-- were rushed to the DMCH. Later, Akhter was released from the hospital after he was given first aid.

The injured said the extortionists demanded toll two months back from the owner, who refused to pay it.

Two cops-- Inspector Nurul Islam and Sub-Inspector Alamgri-- were killed at Hotel Sunrise in a gunfight with the criminals in 2004.