Abdul Kader, 35, owner of Shahi Books and Stationary at road No. 6 in Kalyanpur, was returning to his house after closing the shutters of his shop at around midnight Tuesday.

Four youths in a taxicab appeared and asked him for the keys to the shop and cash box.

Refused, one stabbed Kader, who then grasped one robber and shouted for help. Hearing his cry, locals and pedestrians advanced on the spot, witnesses said.

As the criminals were running away, they opened fire on Kader's abdomen and burst some crackers to create panic among the locals who chased them in vain.

Kader was rushed to Shaheed Suhrwardi Hospital and to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) where he died at 1:30am.

Haripada, a stationary shop owner and neighbour of the victim, said locals resisted the same criminals a week back when they showed up to commit robbery.

In Uttara section No. 5, criminals killed taxicab driver Ulfat Mia alias Ulfa, 25, in the early hours of yesterday.

Ulfa took four passengers from old part of city who tried to hijack his cab at the crossing of roads No. 20 and 9A. As Ulfat tried to save the car, the criminals beat up him by an iron rod and left him severely wounded in the cab, police said.

Patrol police rescued him at around 1:30am and rushed him to the DMCH where he died at 5:30am. Police recovered the car (Dhaka Metro-Cha-11-4754).

Police suspect Ulfa might have been killed over previous enmity as the killers did not carjack.