The dead was identified as Haider Ali Hadu, 40, district unit organising secretary of Jubo Dal, BNP's youth front. He was a close aide to former BNP lawmaker Mashiur Rahman.

Witnesses said a gang of at least eight men ambushed Hadu near his Adarsha Para home in the town. They hurled two bombs at him moments after he got down from a rickshaw around 8:15pm. They then fired shots at injured Hadu.

Locals took him to a clinic, which Hadu himself owns, and he was later shifted to the district hospital where hundreds of his party men and followers gathered.

Sources said Hadu died in the hospital but police did not disclose the matter to the people gathered there to avoid any untoward incident.

One Rajib Hasan, saying he is a regional leader of PBCP Janajuddha, claimed responsibility for the killing over telephone, our Kushtia correspondent reports.

Rajib said he had Hadu killed for his involvement with criminal activities in the locality. Police said Hadu was once accused in at least four murder cases during the Awami League regime.