SINGAPORE — After a heated argument over the phone, Hossain Md Akid agreed to meet his romantic interest’s boyfriend and another man to “talk things out”, arming himself with a chopper should a fight break out.

Hossain left the scene following an altercation with the two men, where he did not use the chopper. 

For carrying a weapon with him, the 27-year-old Bangladeshi construction worker was on Wednesday (June 7) sentenced to three months’ jail, backdated to Sept 11, 2022 when he was remanded.

Hossain was on bail from Sept 27, 2022 to Feb 21, and from March 6 to April 14. 

WHAT HAPPENED

On Sept 11, 2022, Hossain got into a heated argument with Mr Khan Mohammed Ashik, 30, and Mr Mukit Anwarul Kabir, 28, over the phone.

The trio — all of whom are Bangladeshi construction workers — had exchanged vulgarities as Hossain was romantically interested in Mr Khan’s girlfriend, said Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Jeremy Bin.

In order to resolve the dispute, the trio decided to meet.

Before leaving his residence, Hossain took a chopper with a blade 17cm in length and 9cm in width and a kitchen knife, but was stopped by two men who hid the knives. 

Court documents did not state the two men's relations to Hossain.

Nonetheless, Hossain found the chopper and placed it inside the back of the pants before making his way to meet Mr Khan and Mr Mukit. 

At an open field behind Sim Lim Square along Rochor Road at around 3pm, the trio met and began arguing and pushing each other.

Eventually, they were separated by friends. That was when a domestic worker spotted the chopper handle in Hossain’s pants and informed Mr Khan.

Mr Khan relayed the information to Mr Mukit, who called the police as Hossain was leaving. 

Hossain was later arrested in his residence.

DPP Bin called for at least three months’ jail for Hossain, saying that a strong message about carrying weapons in public needed to be sent.

For carrying a weapon in public, Hossain could have been jailed for up to two years, fined or both.