A shocking series of murders has come to light in Savar following the arrest of Mashirur Rahman, alias Samrat, who police describe as a calculated serial killer disguised as a vagrant. Although he behaved like a mentally ill person, investigators say Samrat was fully aware of his actions and carried out the killings with a calm and deliberate mindset.

Samrat was detained on Sunday afternoon in front of Savar Police Station. He was later shown arrested in connection with the recovery of two burned bodies, including that of a teenage girl, from an abandoned building at the Savar Municipal Community Center. On Monday, police produced him before the Dhaka Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, seeking a 10-day remand for further interrogation.

According to police, five bodies have been recovered from the abandoned community center building between August last year and January this year. Investigations indicate that Samrat was directly involved in all of these killings.

Dhaka District Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime, Ops and Traffic-North) Arafatul Islam stated during a press briefing that Samrat committed his first murder on July 4, 2025, strangling an elderly woman named Asma Begum near the Savar Model Mosque. He later killed a young man on August 29 inside the abandoned community center and set the body on fire. Similar methods were used in subsequent murders on October 11 and December 19.

Most recently, on Saturday night, Samrat allegedly killed two more individuals, including a teenage girl, and burned their bodies to destroy evidence. Police believe most of the victims were homeless individuals.

Despite roaming around the police station area for more than a year, Samrat evaded suspicion due to his disheveled appearance and erratic behavior. Police now plan to interrogate him further to determine whether he was involved in additional murders and whether anyone else assisted him in committing these crimes.