Body of former Bangladesh Air Force officer found in Dhaka river

Discovery of the Body

Bangladesh police recovered the body of former Air Force Flight Lieutenant K.M. Tahsif Souri from the Turag River in Dhaka on Thursday, a day after he went missing. Tongi River Police Outpost officer-in-charge Firoz Uddin said the body was retrieved from the Rajabari Ghat area following information received on Wednesday afternoon. Mr. Souri was in his late 20s and was wearing a black shirt and white trousers when found. A phone and a wristwatch discovered with the body helped confirm his identity, according to the Daily Star newspaper. Police sent the body to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital for an autopsy, though the officer declined to answer whether any injury marks were present.

Background and Final Hours

Mr. Souri reportedly filmed a video showing deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaving Bangladesh in an Air Force aircraft on August 5, 2024. Local media reported he was dismissed from service that same month and faced intelligence surveillance. Prothom Alo reported that he spent Tuesday shopping with his mother before leaving home in the evening after a friend called him. He messaged his mother that night to say he was returning home, but he never arrived. During a July social media podcast, when asked if he lost his job over the video, he replied it "could be". The Army stated last August that he retired under institutional rules without any allegations against him.

Official Response

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed declined to comment on whether the death stemmed from hostility linked to the video's release. He stated that a preliminary investigation is necessary and that authorities will speak further once autopsy and other details are known.

Context

Political unrest in Bangladesh escalated significantly following the ouster of long-serving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. Intelligence monitoring and sudden dismissals of military personnel linked to sensitive events reflect ongoing security tensions in the country. Post-mortem examinations and preliminary police inquiries are standard legal steps when bodies are recovered under unexplained circumstances.