Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan today placed hopes to solve the mystery behind the killing of two foreign nationals soon and identify its perpetrators.

It is the most important agenda on the government's charter now, he told reporters in Gazipur.

The minister however did not disclose any further information in this regard or comment on the investigation progress of the murder cases, our local correspondent reports.

The home minister was speaking in Kaliakoir at a programme of the local Ansar and Village Defence Police (VDP).

The first murder of the Italian took place on September 28. The second murder took place in space of five days. Police are yet to make major headway in the cases.

Bangladesh is now on the alert list of several foreign countries including the US after the murders of Italian Cesare Tavella and Japanese Kunio Hoshi.

In response to a query, he said, "I can't say how many illegal foreigners are now in the country. But, there are over 1,000 illegal foreign nationals in our prisons now".

He also told reporters there are now 2.14 lakh foreign nationals residing in the country.