At the club in Dhanmondi, five young men shot Meraj Ali at will at around 1:20pm, killing him on the spot. Meraj was lying on a bench, witnesses said.

He was the prime accused in Sujon killing case. He and seven others allegedly cut both hands of Sujon in Kalabagan on September 9, 1999 causing Sujon's death.

Both Meraj and Sujon were members of a criminal gang and Sujon's killing might have led to Meraj's murder, police suspect.

On Tuesday, Meraj appeared before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in the Sujon murder case.

Meraj, son of Sharif Ali of Char Rajbari in Mymensingh, lived in Dhanmondi.

In the attack on the ward commissioner's office in Mohammadpur area, Arman, the commissioner's nephew, Monwar, the office staff, and Arif, a schoolboy, were injured.

Abul Hashem Hashu, commissioner of ward No. 43 and also president of Awami League ward unit, was at the office during the attack.

A gang of seven to eight armed youths, stormed the office at noon and asked Solaiman, a staff, about the commissioner at gunpoint.

Mahbubul Haq, secretary of the commissioner, said the gang shot Arman in the ankle, as he stopped them at the door. They also shot Monwar in his left hand, as he tried to save Arman. They are undergoing treatment at the Orthopaedic Hospital.

The criminals, however, fled as more than 30 people at the office raised alarms, sources said.

While fleeing, they fired at least 40 gunshots and exploded a number of bombs. They also shot Arif, a student of class 10, who was 1000 yards off the spot. Critically injured Arif was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Police suspect that the criminals shot Arif as he recognised them.

"I have no enemy. How can I say who came to kill me," Hashem told The Daily Star.

Police could not give the motive for the killing immediately.