A Dhaka court on Saturday placed two accused on a five-day remand over the murder of Rangpur businessman Ashraful Haque and the dismemberment of his body into 26 pieces.

The accused are – the victim's friend, Jorezul Islam, alias Jorez, and his “lover” Shamima Akter, alias Kohinur.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Israt Jenifar Jerin passed the order after the police produced the accused before the court, seeking a seven-day remand for each.

On Friday night, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested the couple from the Daudkandi area in Cumilla.

According to the police, Ashraful Haque, 43, came to Dhaka on 11 November with his friend Jorez and had been missing since then.

On the evening of 13 November, the dismembered body of an unidentified man was found in two drums near the National Eidgah premises.

The victim was later identified as Ashraful after fingerprints collected from the dismembered body were screened.

Anjira Begum, the victim's younger sister, filed a murder case with Shahbagh Police Station, citing Jorez as the prime accused.