He was known as bike man of militants

The man who was killed in Tuesday's “gunfight” with police in Rajshahi city has been identified as Nazrul Islam alias Hasan alias Bike Hasan.

He was an alleged member of banned militant outfit of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and a key charge-sheeted accused in Panchagarh Hindu priest murder case.

His name became Bike Hasan as he used to take militants and bring back them to their dens on his motorcycle safely during sensational criminal activities like murder, according to Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP). Nazrul, 26, was popular among his fellow militants of "Suicide Squad" as he successfully managed to carry the killers to the crime scenes and bring them back to their dens on his motorcycle.

Police have found his involvement in as many as 13 militant attacks in Rajshahi, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Panchagarh, Sirajganj, Kushtia, Jhenidah, Tangail and other districts. Eleven people were killed in those attacks.

The killings include Rajshahi University teacher Prof AFM Rezaul Karim Siddiquee, Panchagarh Hindu priest Jogeswar Dasadhikari, Tangail tailor and Kushtia homeopath.

The alleged JMB man, Nazrul, was killed in a "gunfight" between his cohorts and police near Ashrafer Mor during an anti-militancy crackdown by law enforcers early Tuesday.

At a press briefing yesterday, RMP Commissioner Shafiqul Islam disclosed the identity of the "militant".

Nazrul was one of the two fugitives for whom the Rajshahi police on July 29 declared a bounty of Tk 1 lakh for capture in RU teacher Rezaul murder case.

Son of Mohammad Abdullah alias Munna of Sonarhar Gochpur village in Panchagarh's Debiganj, Nazrul brought three killers of Rezaul to the spot at Shalbagan on his motorcycle, said Detective Branch of RMP Inspector Rezaus Sadik, also the investigating officer in Rezaul murder case.

After killing Rezaul, Nazrul along with the killers returned to their den in Kharkhari in Rajshahi city. The three others are Shariful Islam, a student of RU English department, Maskawath Hasan Sakib and Badhon.

Name of Nazrul first surfaced in investigation of Rezaul murder case as Maskawath Hasan Sakib, a key suspect in the murder, in his statement mentioned Nazrul's name, said Rezaus.

According to police, Nazrul's father Abdullah said his son studied at a madrasa in Debiganj for two years.

Around two years ago, Nazrul left for Dhaka with his wife and children and seldom communicated with the family members, Abdullah added.

Our Thakurgaon correspondent also contributed to this story.