Former Bangladeshi air force officer linked to Sheikh Hasina’s exit video found dead, probe underway

New Delhi: The body of former Bangladesh Air Force officer Flight Lieutenant KM Tahsif Souri, 28, was recovered from Dhaka’s Turag river on Wednesday, a day after he went missing, with the cause of death still undetermined. His reported association with footage of deposed prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, leaving Bangladesh in 2024 has drawn attention to the case after a cousin alleged he had been harassed over the video.

River police recovered Souri near Rajabari Ghat in Uttarkhan after receiving a call through the national emergency helpline 999 on October 28. Officers identified him using an iPhone found in his pocket and sent the body to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College hospital for a postmortem examination.

What the initial investigation reveals

An inquest prepared by sub-inspector, Mostafizur Rahman found no visible external injuries but recorded bleeding from the nose and swelling of the abdomen. These observations do not establish whether Souri drowned or died in other circumstances. The river police superintendent, Abdullah Al Mamun, said the cause would be determined after the autopsy.

Souri’s father, KM Enayetul Karim Helal, said a younger acquaintance identified as Dwip had called his son downstairs on Tuesday evening. Souri went to meet him but never returned. At approximately 1.35am, he messaged his mother saying he was coming home. Dwip later told bdnews24.com that they had dinner together before parting.

Helal also revealed that his son occasionally expressed concerns about his safety without explaining the reasons. “Tahsif would sometimes tell me that he was feeling a little apprehensive. But he never told me what he was worried about,” he told Jago News. He clarified that Souri had never disclosed receiving any specific threats.

Why the video matters

Souri’s name surfaced in connection with a widely circulated video purportedly showing Hasina leaving Bangladesh by aircraft on August 5, 2024, as mass protests ended her government. Some reports alleged that he filmed it, but his role has not been officially established.

His cousin Moshfeka Jahan claimed in a Facebook post that he had merely shared the footage and had subsequently faced prolonged psychological harassment and surveillance. She also alleged he was murdered. Police have not established homicide or linked his death to the video or the claimed harassment.

In August 2025, Bangladesh’s Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate rejected claims that Souri and another officer had been retired under established air force laws and regulations. It rejected allegations that their retirement was connected to suspected links with a foreign intelligence agency.

According to his father, the family had been informed that Souri was dismissed from the air force on disciplinary grounds. He subsequently worked with the Bangladesh Cricket Board, Netra News and, most recently, Virgo Tobacco. His father’s account of the dismissal differs in terminology from the military’s earlier statement describing his departure as retirement under established procedures.

Government awaits autopsy

Asked whether the death could be connected to the footage, home minister, Salahuddin Ahmed, declined to speculate. “There needs to be an initial investigation, and an autopsy is being conducted. We will speak after learning all the details,” he said on Thursday.

Uttarkhan police station said on Thursday morning that no complaint had been lodged there. The river police said further legal steps would depend on the family’s complaint. No postmortem findings or official determination of the circumstances of Souri’s death had been announced by Thursday afternoon.