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A law student who criticised Islam on his Facebook page has been shot and hacked to death with a machete in Bangladesh.

Nazimuddin Samad, 28, whose family live in London, was murdered on a busy road near Dhaka’s Jagannath University, where he was studying.

He is the latest suspected victim of a string of killings of secular activists in Bangladesh.

Mr Samad had been on a hit list of 84 atheist bloggers drawn up by radical Islamists. A friend said his family, from Manor Park, east London, were preparing to fly to Bangladesh after being informed of the death late last night.

They said: “Everything is very raw at the moment. They only found out last last night and are still preparing to fly out there as soon as they can.”

Syed Nurul Islam, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan police, said in a statement: “At least four assailants hacked Nazimuddin Samad’s head with a machete on Wednesday night.

“As he fell down, one of them shot him with a pistol from close range. He died on the spot. It is a case of targeted killing. But no group has claimed responsibility.”

The killers were reportedly heard shouting Allahu Akbar (God is greatest) before fleeing the scene.

Tributes poured in on the activist’s Facebook page this morning in a mixture of English and native Hindi.

Mr Samad was known for being critical of state religion. Before deactivating his Facebook account about a month ago after his family feared he may become the victim of an attack, he was said to have written: “Evolution is a scientific truth. Religion and race are invention of the savage and uncivil people.”

Writing on his Facebook page Subrata Das said: “Another brutal execution... example of a failed Government of Bangladesh.”