Executive editor of local daily Durjoy Bangla, Dipankar, 59,was on his way home after work when the attackers swooped on him near his house and cut off his head with an axe at about 12:30am.

Neighbours heard him screaming and motorbikes speeding away. Shortly afterwards, Shamal Basak, a next-door neighbour, found Dipankar's decapitated body lying on the road. He immediately informed Dipankar's family of it.

Dipankar's eldest son Partha Sarthi Chakrabarty filed a case with the Sherpur Police Station yesterday.

Police said they had recovered a sack and a new towel used by the assailants from the scene.

Dipankar's body was taken to the Bogra Press Club after autopsy. Local journalist community held a rally there to protest the killing. They issued an ultimatum to the administration to nab the killers within 72 hours. They also brought out a silent procession with Dipankar's body and blockaded the Dhaka-Bogra highway for five minutes.

They decided to keep blank space on the front page of newspapers for the next three days as a gesture of protest at the killing.

Dipankar started his career in journalism in mid 70s as a Sherpur correspondent of Daily Kartoa. He worked as an assistant editor of the daily for a long time. Besides, he worked for Daily Bangladesh and Daily Chandni Bazar before joining Durjoy Bangla.

He was the former president of Bogra Union of Journalists (BUJ) and Sherpur Press Club and convenor of Sherpur Reporters' Unity.

BFUJ in a statement condemned the killing of Dipankar.They decided to hoist black flags at all the union offices and put on black badges till October 7.