Police have arrested two suspects over the murder of three Awami Leaguers at Dhaka's Badda.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) spokesman Muntasir Islam said the two were arrested from Badda and Vatara in the capital at the early hours of Monday.

Those arrested are Badda Awami League’ educational affairs secretary Nur Alam, 40, and ruling party activist Md Faruk alias Milon, 30.

Detective Branch’s Senior Assistant Commissioner Md Obaidul Haques said, Nur Alam, a resident of Badda, was the general secretary of Gulshan Chhatra League between 1989-1993. He was also vice-president of the student front’s Dhaka North unit.

"We will provide details later in a media conference," Islam said.

DMP joint commissioner Monirul Islam had told journalists on Sunday that they had been able to identity those involved in the murder of the three Awami Leaguers.

"Once the suspects are arrested, we will have a clearer idea of the motive behind the murder of the three Awami Leaguers, but police has already identified the suspects," Monirul Islam had said.

But Monirul Islam also did not name the suspects.

Awami Swechchhasebak League leader Mahbubur Rahman Gama, 40, Dhaka City Awami League Ward-6 unit Joint Secretary Shamsu Molla, 53, and another person named Firoz Ahmed Manik, 45 were killed in the shooting on Thursday.

Local Awami Juba League leader Abdus Salam was admitted at the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital with bullet wounds on his back.

Police and witnesses said several local leaders and activists of the ruling party were having a chat when the assailants walked up to them and opened fire around 9pm.

Gama’s father Motiur Rahman filed a case over the killing accusing 10-12 unnamed assailants.

Police said they were investigating the motive behind the murder and looking at possibilities like business rivalry, conflict over lease of Eid cattle market or share of payments and profits.