An Awami League politician and a female college student were killed while his driver was injured when an assailant allegedly opened fire at them in the Shahjahanpur area on Thursday night.
The deceased were identified as Zahidul Islam Tipu, former general secretary of AL Motijheel police station committee, and Samia Afrin Priti, a 22-year-old student of Begum Badrunnesa Government College.
The crime occurred in front of Islami Bank Hospital around 10:15pm when Zahidul was returning home in his car and Samia on a cycle rickshaw with her friend, police said.
"They were all stuck in a traffic jam in the area when a biker wearing a helmet and a mask appeared from nowhere and fired at them. He soon sped away," said SM Gaffarul Alam, inspector (operations), Shahjahanpur police station.
The three sustained bullet injuries and were soon rushed to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, where Zahidul and the student died of their injuries hours later. "Munna is battling for his life at the hospital," he said.
Inspector Gaffarul said that the target was probably only Zahidul. "Anyway, a massive manhunt has been launched to nab the killer," he added.
While Zahidul was a resident of Shahjahanpur, Priti was from the Tilpapara area of Khilgaon.