The European Union has condemned killings of two foreigners in Bangladesh.

Assailants gunned down Japanese Hoshi Kunio, 66, in Kaunia Upazila of Rangpur yesterday just five days after Italian Cesare Tavella, 50, was shot dead in Gulshan diplomatic zone in Dhaka. In both cases, the killers came in motorbikes and left hurriedly after spraying bullets thrice on the victims.

Responding to a query from The Daily Star, the delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh termed the killings as "brutal".

"EU offers condolences to the members of the victims' families," it said.

The delegation expressed its confidence that the law enforcers in Bangladesh would capture the perpetrators and bring them to justice.