Who was KM Tahsif Souri? Released by Bangladesh Air Force after filming Sheikh Hasina’s escape, mysteriously found dead | Today’s news

The death of a former Bangladesh Air Force officer whose name was linked to footage of Sheikh Hasina leaving the country has raised questions about the circumstances of his disappearance, his retirement from military service and allegations of molestation by his family.

KM Tahsif Souri, 28, was reported missing on Tuesday 27 October. His body was pulled from the Turag River in Dhaka the following afternoon. Police said an autopsy would determine the exact cause of death.

Souri’s cousin, Moshfeka Jahan, claimed he was murdered because of his reported connection to footage showing Hasina leaving Bangladesh.

How was the body of the former air force officer recovered?

According to The Daily Star, police received information about a body floating in the Turag River through Bangladesh’s national emergency number 999 on Wednesday, October 28.

Inspector Firoz Uddin of Tongi River police base told The Business Standard that the body was found near Rajabari Ghat in Dhaka’s Uttarkhan area around 4.30 pm.

Police initially treated the body as an unknown man. An iPhone found in his pocket helped establish his identity, while a wristwatch was also found.

The body was taken to the mortuary at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination.

An inquest report prepared by sub-inspector Mostafizur Rahman of the Tongi River police base found no visible external signs of injury on Souri’s body, The Daily Star reported. He noticed that his nose was bleeding, his eyes and mouth were closed, and his abdomen appeared bloated.

The report also described his arms as bent over his head, with both hands clenched into fists.

Why does his family suspect foul play?

Souri’s death came into the limelight after his cousin Moshfeka Jahan posted on Facebook at 3:04 am on Thursday, October 29, claiming that he had been killed over footage linked to Hasina’s passing.

Jahan claimed that Souri faced prolonged mental harassment after the video went viral online. She also disputed reports suggesting he recorded the footage himself, saying he only shared a video shot by another officer.

“My brother was murdered. What was his mistake? Sharing the video of Hasina’s escape? He didn’t even upload it himself, he shared it as a citizen. One of his colleagues uploaded it,” she wrote.

Jahan further claimed that the pressure on Souri continued even after he left the Air Force.

“They were not satisfied even after they retired him and subjected him to mental torture day after day. They had to kill him,” she wrote.

These allegations have not been independently proven and police have not publicly confirmed a motive for his death.

Souri’s death also brought renewed attention to the circumstances surrounding his retirement from military service.

In August last year, Amar Desh, a Bangladeshi newspaper described in reports as affiliated to Jamaat-e-Islami, published claims that Souri was an agent of India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW). The claim has been flagged as false. As a result, the government confiscated his passport for two years.

A few months ago, Souri appeared on a podcast and openly criticized the paper.

He suggested that he should reveal more about the episode, but chose not to talk about everything he knew.

He was also suspected of filming footage of Hasina leaving Bangladesh aboard a military helicopter on August 5, 2024, when her government fell amid mass protests.

His family claimed he was merely sharing a video recorded by another officer.

Read also | Ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina plans to return in December

According to Souri’s family, who spoke to Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo, the former flight lieutenant spent the day shopping with his mother.

Later that evening he received a call from a close friend and left home to meet him.

He was reported missing on October 27 and his body was pulled from the Turag River the following day.

Hasina departed Bangladesh aboard a military aircraft on 5 August 2024, following weeks of violent protests that led to the collapse of her government. Since then she has remained in India.