Two women riding a scooter were killed when an unidentified bus hit them in Dhaka's Banani area early today.

The deceased were identified as Duldana Akhter Kochi (26), territory officer of Pearl International Ltd, and Sonia (27), said police. Sonia used to live with her brother in Shah Ali area in Mirpur, they added.

Abdul Haque, sub-inspector of Banani Police Station, told The Daily Star that the speeding bus hit the scooter, which was headed towards Mohakhali, in front of Bridge Bhaban around 12:45am, leaving the women critically injured.

They were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) where doctors declared them dead, said Haque, also duty officer of the police station.

Police could not seize the bus or arrest its driver, added the police official.

Contacted, Inspector Bachchu Miah, in-charge of the DMCH police camp, told The Daily Star that they initially thought the victims were journalists, as their scooter bore a sticker saying "Press".

"But now it seems unlikely, as no journalists could identify them," he added.