Bangladesh police have arrested a suspected Islamic militant over the hacking to death of two gay rights activists, one of a spate of murders of intellectuals, writers and religious minorities, police said Sunday.

"We've arrested one man in connection with the murder of Xulhaz Mannan" and Mahbub Tonoy, who were killed last month, Dhaka police spokesman Maruf Hossain Sorder told AFP.

"He is a member of the Ansarullah Bangla Team," Sorder said, referring to a local Islamist militant group.