Panic across several upazilas in Naogaon District, Bangladesh has eased following the arrest of a man police describe as a suspected serial offender linked to a string of violent night-time attacks and robberies targeting vulnerable households over the past six months.
The accused, identified as Golam Morshed, is alleged to have operated across multiple rural areas, particularly focusing on homes where male members were absent. According to police findings, he would allegedly enter residences under cover of darkness by scaling boundary walls, then attack sleeping women and girls with heavy objects before fleeing with valuables. Investigators say his method often involved a single, forceful blow followed by immediate escape, leaving victims critically injured and, in several cases, resulting in fatalities.
One of the most widely reported incidents occurred on 18 January in Nanai Chha village in Dhamoirhat upazila, where college student Umme Habiba was struck on the head with a metal tube-well handle. She later died while undergoing treatment. On the same night, two additional households were reportedly targeted in similar circumstances. Further attacks were recorded on 7 February in Jahanpur village, where a woman named Sultana Begum sustained severe head injuries after being struck with a bamboo stick, alongside three other simultaneous break-ins.
A fresh wave of violence was reported on 7 May across multiple villages in Badalgachhi upazila, including Durgapur, Ghoalbhita and Nayan Shahor, where women and adolescent girls were assaulted. The most recent incidents took place on 4 June in Patnitala upazila, where coordinated attacks in Shimulya and Nandash villages left several women seriously injured.
Police state that at least 12 such incidents have been recorded within three police station jurisdictions in Naogaon District, Bangladesh, with similar patterns of violence also reported in neighbouring Dinajpur District, Bangladesh and Joypurhat District, Bangladesh. Authorities believe the same individual may be connected to multiple cases across district boundaries.
Arrest Summary
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Name of accused | Golam Morshed |
| Father’s name | Hoibur Rahman |
| Permanent address | Birampur, Dinajpur |
| Place of arrest | Sharifpur Konapara, Gazipur |
| Time of arrest | Early hours (Wednesday) |
| Case linkage | 4 cases in Naogaon; multiple in other districts |
Following the arrest, Naogaon Superintendent of Police Tariqul Islam stated at a press briefing that the suspect was identified through a combination of technological surveillance and intelligence-led policing. He described the accused as a “professional serial offender” who allegedly travelled across districts to commit crimes independently.
Police further confirmed that Golam Morshed provided a confessional statement under Section 164 before a magistrate after his arrest. In his statement, he reportedly admitted involvement in several of the incidents under investigation, though authorities have emphasised that corroborative evidence is still being examined.
Senior police officials present at the briefing added that investigations remain ongoing, with efforts underway to determine whether the accused is linked to additional unresolved cases in nearby districts. Authorities have also pledged heightened patrols and improved night-time surveillance to restore public confidence in the affected rural communities.