DHAKA - A Japanese national was shot dead in northern Bangladesh on Saturday, nearly a week after the murder of an Italian woman in the capital of Dhaka, police said.

The victim was identified as Osikonio, 55.

Rezaul Karim, officer-in-charge of Kaunia Police Station, said a group of miscreants opened fire at the Japanese man while he was walking in a street in the district of Rangpur at 10:45 am local time (0445 GMT). He died later on way to the hospital.

The motive behind the killing could not be immediately known.

Cesare Tavella, 50, an official of the Netherlands-based non- governmental organization ICCO Cooperation, was shot dead on Sept 28 in Dhaka's Gulshan diplomatic zone.