Bangladesh PM rejects IS link to foreigners' murder

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sunday dismissed the Islamic State group's claim to have killed two foreigners, saying police still had no evidence to confirm the jihadist group was behind the murders.

Her remarks came a day after 66-year-old Japanese citizen Hoshi Kunio was shot dead in northern Bangladesh, the second foreigner to be murdered in the South Asian nation in less than a week.

A 50-year-old Italian, Cesare Tavella, was shot dead last week near Dhaka's diplomatic zone in another attack claimed by IS.

The prime minister added groups such as IS do not operate in the country.

Italian aid worker Tavella was shot three times on September 28 by attackers who fled on a motorcycle -- an attack the Bangladeshi government described as an "isolated incident" in an attempt to calm security fears.

Kunio was riding in a rickshaw when he was shot dead by three unidentified attackers riding a motorbike in the town of Kaunia in Rangpur district.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has rejected any IS presence in the country but said the two killings appeared to be linked.  

Police have launched a formal investigation into three unidentified suspects for the murder of Kunio, without naming a particular group, senior police officer Saifur Rahman told AFP.

He said police had also questioned four other people in connection with the inquiry since Saturday as they hunt the key suspects.