A ruling Awami League man and his younger brother died of stab wounds at Chittagong Medical College Hospital last night after they came under attack allegedly from some party rivals on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway in Sitakunda upazila.

The dead, Ramjan Ali Khokon, 35, and his sibling Md Srijan, 20, were from Mohalangka area in the upazila, said ASI Shilbrata Barua of the police outpost at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH).

According to locals, the victims came under attack around 8:00pm when they were returning home after attending a programme in Sitakunda, marking the National Mourning Day.

Mobarak Hossain, an activist of Sitakunda AL, rushed the victims to the hospital. Talking to The Daily Star, he said his fellow party activist Ramjan along with his sibling and another man was riding a motorbike on his way home.

All of a sudden, a group of criminals swooped on the bikers in Choto Darogar Hat area of the highway and stabbed the duo indiscriminately, leaving them badly injured.

They were rushed to CMCH around 8:50pm where doctors declared Ramjan dead. About an hour later, Srijan died of his wounds, said the ASI.

Locals said the third biker escaped the attack unhurt. Police, however, could not confirm his identity.

Mobarak said Ramjan was blessed by Sitakunda upazila Chairman SM Al Mamun, also an AL leader, who has a longstanding rivalry with local AL lawmaker Didarul Alam.

The bodies were sent to Chittagong Medical College morgue for autopsies.