Vagabond serial killer held in Savar
Staff Reporter :
Police have detained a vagabond in connection with the recovery of two burnt bodies from an abandoned municipal community centre in Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka.
The detainee has later confessed to involvement in six killings over the past five months, police said.
The detainee has been identified as Mashiur Rahman Khan Samrat, 40, son of the late Salam of Savar’s Bank Colony area.
Dhaka District Police Additional Superintendent (Crime, Ops and Traffic North) Arafatul Islam divulged the information at a press conference at Savar Model police station around 11am on Monday.
He said police have recovered six bodies in Savar over the past five months.
On August 29, 2025, the body of an unidentified man (around 30) was recovered from a room on the second floor of the community centre. A case was filed the same day at Savar Model police station.
On October 11 of the same year, the body of an unidentified woman (around 30) was found near a bathroom on the second floor of the same building. Police initially suspected she had been killed and the body dumped there. A case was filed on October 13.
Two months later, on December 19, another unidentified man (around 35) was found dead in a bathroom of the same building. Due to the condition of the body, identification was not possible. A case was filed the same day.
Most recently, on Sunday, the bodies of a man (around 25) and a girl (around 13) were recovered from a bathroom on the second floor of the community centre. Police believe they were killed and the bodies were left there.
Earlier, on 4 July 2025, the body of an unidentified elderly woman (around 75) was recovered from beside a tea stall near Savar Model Mosque. A case was filed against unknown suspects.
Police said investigations began immediately after each incident, with Savar Model police station and the Detective Branch jointly conducting probes. Surveillance around the community centre was intensified, lighting improved, and multiple CCTV cameras installed with municipal assistance.
After the recovery of the latest pair of bodies, police reviewed CCTV footage and identified Samrat behaving suspiciously in the area. Based on his movement patterns and presence at relevant times, he was placed under surveillance and later detained during an operation.
During preliminary interrogation, Samrat admitted involvement in the two most recent killings and four earlier cases at the same location.
Arafatul Islam said the accused has been sent to court, with police seeking a 10-day remand. If granted, investigators hope to determine the motive behind the killings, whether others were involved, and if the suspect committed similar crimes elsewhere.
Police also recovered a muffler allegedly used in the crimes and a matchbox believed to have been used to start fires. These items have been seized as evidence.