A gang of five started firing on Hafizul Islam, 28, and his friend Nuruzzaman, 28, when they were gossiping near Matborer Pukur in Kafrul after Juma prayers, police said.

Hafizul, who passed master's degree from the Department of Islamic History of Rajshahi University recently, received two bullets in the head and chest. He was rushed to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) where doctors declared him dead.

He came to Dhaka on Wednesday to meet his friend Nuruzzaman, a computer hardware engineer, who resides in a mess at Kafrul. Nuruzzaman was also shot in a hand. He was released from the DMCH after being operated upon on Friday.

Mahbub Islam Rony, 29, was shot in his leg as he came out of a local mosque during the incident. He was admitted to the Orthopaedic Hospital.

"We were gossiping standing near the pond at about 2:15pm. Suddenly five youths appeared and started firing indiscriminately on us," Nuruzzaman told reporters at the DMCH.

He, however, could not say whether the criminals targeted him.

"I am certain that my brother was not the target as he does not reside in Dhaka," said Hafizul's elder brother Joynal Islam.

Police arrested one Sohel Friday night from the area suspecting his involvement in the incident and sent him to Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court seeking seven-day remand.

"We are trying to find out whether any feud in Chapainawabganj, the home district of Hafizul and Nuruzzaman led to the incident," said Investigation Officer of the case Sub-Inspector Nasimul Islam.

He said Sohel gave a hint them that a feud at Chapainawabganj is the reason behind the killing. He, however, declined to disclose anything more for the sake of investigation.

Nuruzzaman filed a case with Kafrul Police Station on Friday night without mentioning any name.