A doctor has been hacked to death with a machete and his friend gravely wounded in Bangladesh in an attack by Isis.
Village homeopath Mir Sanaur Rahman was travelling via motorbike to a village where he operates a weekly free clinic.
The 55-year-old was with a friend, named only as university teacher Saifuzzaman, when they were ambushed by their attackers, also on motorbikes.
District police chief Mohammad Sahabuddin Chowdhury said the pair were set upon in the western district of Kushtia, when their path was blocked by their assailants.
Police confirmed Mr Rahman was killed on the spot, and officers recovered a bloody machete from the scene.
His 45-year-old companion also suffered serious wounds, and was reportedly rushed to the capital, Dhaka, as his injuries were too severe for the local hospital to treat.
Officials added both men sustained injuries to their head and neck from the blade.
The recent killing follows a spate of attacks on gay activists, atheist bloggers, academics, those of a religious minority and foreign aid workers in the Muslim-majority nation.
Police chief Chowdhury added: "We suspect Islamist militants are behind the attack."
The Islamic State (Isis), otherwise known as Daesh, have since claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack.
Their news agency, Amaq, reported the group had killed Mr Rahman because he promoted Christianity.
Friends of the wounded tutor added he too was known for his progressive stance.
The country has seen a surge in attacks, with Isis also claiming responsibility for the killing of two foreigners last year.
But the government denied that Isis have a presence in the country, instead blaming home-grown Islamists for the violence.
