Dhaka, Feb 10 (bdnews24.com) – Rice wholesalers and businessmen in the capital's Babu Bazar and Badamtali kept their businesses shut from Wednesday morning protesting the killing of a fellow trader and demanding arrest of the killers.

Thirty five-year old Afil Uddin, proprietor of VIP Rice Mill in Kushtia, was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen at Tipu Sultan Road of Babu Bazar on Tuesday.

Some 190 stores of Babubazar and Badamatali, the capital's main wholesale rice market, remained closed since morning. Expressing solidarity with the wholesalers, retail shop owners also joined strike.

Hazi Nizamuddin, general secretary of Babu Bazar-Badamtali rice wholesalers' association, told bdnews24.com that they would continue their demonstrations until the killers were caught.

He, however, said that the traders would not keep their shops closed indefinitely considering that is an essential commodity. They will announce their next course of action later.

Afiluddin supplied rice to traders in Babu Bazar area, as well as wholesalers in Rampura and Muhammadpur.

The reason behind his murder could not be known yet.

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