Police in Bangladesh have reported that two people, one of them the editor of the only LGBT magazine in Bangladesh, has been hacked to death.

Xulhaz Mannan, who was killed in a flat in the capital city of Dhaka, worked at the US embassy and was the editor of a magazine called Roopbaan.

Another person was also left injured as a result of the attack. These fatalities occurred just two days after a university teacher was hacked to death by suspected Islamist militants.

Since February, there have been several reported deaths of secular or atheist writers, as well as members of religious minority groups. Islamic State claimed responsibility despite the fact that the Banladeshi Government insists that no IS presence exists in the country.

The US ambassador to Bangladesh has condemned the killing of Xulhaz Mannan.

"I am devastated by the brutal murder of Xulhaz Mannan and another young Bangladeshi. We abhor this senseless act of violence and urge the Government of Bangladesh in the strongest terms to apprehend the criminals behind these murders."

A British photographer, who knew Mr Mannan and the other victim, Tanay Mojumdar, said they were among those who established Roopbaan. He added that both men held the belief that if more gay citizens came out in Bangladesh, then the country would adopt a greater sense of acceptance of gay rights.

Both victims were openly gay, according to the photographer.

Homosexuality is technically illegal in Bangladesh, and it is feared that these killings could incite worry among the gay community in the country.

Meanwhile, a popular blogger in Bangladesh has said that he received a death threat on Sunday. Last year, four prominent secular bloggers were also killed with machetes. The four bloggers had all appeared on a list of 84 "atheist bloggers" drawn up by Islamic groups in 2013 and widely circulated.