The miscreants pulled up their microbus at the Rajdhani Hotel at around 8:30pm and sprayed bullets on Mozammel Haq, the AL's Ward 90 unit general secretary who was talking with a man outside.

Four bullets -- one in the face and three in the abdomen -- struck the 40-year-old. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), only to be declared dead.

"Five to six youths bolted out of the microbus and started firing on Mozammel," said Sumon, who brought Mozammel to the DMCH.

As the news of his killing spread, angry AL activists set a passenger bus afire at Gulistan.

Father of two daughters and son, Mozammel resided in a rented house at the Shahjahanpur area.

Mozammel hailed from Sonargaon in Narayanganj.

Police could not confirm the reason for the murder but Fazlu, a leader of Ward No. 84 unit of AL, told newsmen at the DMCH that political rivalry with local ruling party leaders might have led to the killing.

In another incident, miscreants shot at a young man at Mirpur last night.

Somon, 24, with bullet wounds in his chest, was admitted to the DMCH at about 8:30pm. His condition is critical.