The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested war criminal Khalilur Rahman, a death-row convict from Netrokona. 

He was arrested late on Tuesday night from Savar, RAB spokesperson Khandaker Al Moin told the media on Wednesday. 

Khalilur Rahman, 68,  had been on the run ever since investigations started against him in 2015.

On September 13, the International Crimes Tribunal led by Justice Md Shahinur Rahman sentenced him to hang till death. 

On January 30, 2017, the investigating officer of the International Crime Tribunal submitted the final report against five war criminals— Ramzan Ali, Md Khalilur Rahman, his brother Md Azizur Rahman, Ashok Ali and Md Shah Newaz. 

They  were accused of illegal detention, torture, kidnapping, looting, arson, attempted rape, rape, murder and genocide in the area of Durgapur and Kalmakanda police stations during the Liberation War of 1971.

Of the five accused, all except Md Khalilur Rahman were sent to prison.

 Ramzan Ali, Azizur Rahman, Ashok Ali and Md Shah Newaz all died while trial was underway. 

On September 13, 2022, the tribunal sentenced him to death on four charges and 10 years of imprisonment on one of the charges. 

He was convicted of killing 22 people, raping one person, attempt to rape, torture of two of the four abductees in the camp, looting of 14-15 houses and torching of seven houses. 

On Tuesday, the intelligence wing of RAB headquarters and RAB-14 conducted a raid in Savar area based on a tip-off. 

According to RAB, Khalilur had been staying in different areas of Dakshinkhan, Turag and Uttara to avoid arrest. 

During that time, he did not use any kind of mobile phone for communication. However, his family members visited him in secret. 

After his conviction, he changed his hiding place fearing arrest. 

Md Khalilur Rahman was a member of Islami Chhatra Sangha during the Liberation War. He later joined Al-Badr and became a commander of the paramilitary force in Chandigarh Union.