RAB arrests fugitive ‘serial killer’ posing as Baul singer
The convicted murderer was identified through a music video, which garnered 46 million views on YouTube, says the elite police unit
Dubbed as an elite police unit, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) is composed of members of the police, armed forces, and border guards, seconded to it from their respective units Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune
Tribune Desk
Publish : 13 Jan 2022, 03:03 PMUpdate : 13 Jan 2022, 03:18 PM
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) claims to have arrested a “serial killer,” who took up the guise of a Baul singer to prevent law enforcers from arresting him for the murder of three people in Bogra some 20 years ago.
Forty-five-year-old Helal Hossain — who is also known by the aliases Selim Fakir, Baul Selim and Khuni Helal — was arrested from Bhairab railway station in Kishoreganj on Wednesday.
Helal, after committing the murders, changed his identity and become a Baul singer, RAB Legal and Media Wing Director Khandaker Al Moin told a media call on Thursday.
Helal Hossain at RAB media centre in Dhaka, January 13, 2022 Bangla Tribune
“All three murder cases filed against him were over turf wars in Bogra. He was known as a fearsome criminal in the district,” Moin said.
Helal was given life sentence over two murders in 1997 and 2001, the RAB official said, adding that he is accused of a third murder in 2006.
He was arrested in 2015 in a theft case filed in 2010 and secured bail before fleeing Bogra and coming to Dhaka in a “shrewd move”, said the senior RAB official.
“He has been living as a drifter in different parts of the country for about seven years, and living with a woman near Bhairab railway station for the last four. He would sing at the station and make a living taking alms from people,” Moin added.
Appearance in music video
The infamous criminal appeared in the video accompanying the song “Bhanga Tori Chera Pal” published on YouTube in May 2016, which has gone on to garner nearly 46 million views on the video-sharing platform.
Screengrab from a music video shows convicted murderer Helal Hossain YouTube
Helal had been walking along the rail tracks at Narayanganj station when the filmmaker made him an offer to star in it.
“Some people of Bogra recognized Helal in the music video and contacted us. We were able to arrest him after a six-month effort based on various intel,” said Moin.
RAB arrests fugitive ‘serial killer’ posing as Baul singer
The convicted murderer was identified through a music video, which garnered 46 million views on YouTube, says the elite police unit
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) claims to have arrested a “serial killer,” who took up the guise of a Baul singer to prevent law enforcers from arresting him for the murder of three people in Bogra some 20 years ago.
Forty-five-year-old Helal Hossain — who is also known by the aliases Selim Fakir, Baul Selim and Khuni Helal — was arrested from Bhairab railway station in Kishoreganj on Wednesday.
Helal, after committing the murders, changed his identity and become a Baul singer, RAB Legal and Media Wing Director Khandaker Al Moin told a media call on Thursday.
“All three murder cases filed against him were over turf wars in Bogra. He was known as a fearsome criminal in the district,” Moin said.
Helal was given life sentence over two murders in 1997 and 2001, the RAB official said, adding that he is accused of a third murder in 2006.
He was arrested in 2015 in a theft case filed in 2010 and secured bail before fleeing Bogra and coming to Dhaka in a “shrewd move”, said the senior RAB official.
“He has been living as a drifter in different parts of the country for about seven years, and living with a woman near Bhairab railway station for the last four. He would sing at the station and make a living taking alms from people,” Moin added.
Appearance in music video
The infamous criminal appeared in the video accompanying the song “Bhanga Tori Chera Pal” published on YouTube in May 2016, which has gone on to garner nearly 46 million views on the video-sharing platform.
Helal had been walking along the rail tracks at Narayanganj station when the filmmaker made him an offer to star in it.
“Some people of Bogra recognized Helal in the music video and contacted us. We were able to arrest him after a six-month effort based on various intel,” said Moin.
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