Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) Director General (DG) M Khurshid Hossain Friday said the escape of two convicted militants from a Dhaka court on November 20 and the fact that they are yet to be arrested is a "failure."

"We believe in self-criticism. Two militants escaped; we are not going to deny it. It was our failure as two militants escaped (from the court premises) like that," the Rab DG told the media after visiting the Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital ahead of the 22nd national council of the Awami League there Saturday.

Read more: Law enforcers can’t avoid responsibility over militants’ escape: Rab

"The militants had been planning the escape for a long time, and we are yet to track them down. However, efforts are underway to arrest them," he added.

Abu Siddiq Sohel and Moinul Hasan Shamim, members of the banned militant outfit Ansar-al Islam, were sentenced to death for killing publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan.

Read more: Location of escaped militants to be traced soon: Home Minister

On November 20, the militants' associates whisked them away from the premises of Dhaka Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court by beating the law enforcers and spraying some chemicals on their eyes.

Later, a case was filed at Kotwali Police Station over the incident.