DHAKA, Oct. 29 -- A former Bangladesh Air Force officer reportedly linked to a video showing ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fleeing the country in August 2024 has been found dead in a river in Dhaka, with his family alleging murder and harassment over his suspected involvement in circulating the footage.
The body of 28-year-old former Flight Lieutenant KM Tahsif Souri was recovered from the Turag River on Wednesday, October 28, a day after he went missing. Bangladesh's River Police confirmed the recovery on Thursday and said the exact cause of death would be established following a postmortem examination. Souri had attracted attention over allegations that he recorded or shared footage showing Hasina leaving Bangladesh aboard a military aircraft on August 5, 2024, amid widespread protests that led to the collapse of her government. However, authorities have not officially confirmed his involvement in recording or circulating the video.
According to Bangladeshi media reports, police recovered Souri's body near Rajabari Ghat in Dhaka's Uttarkhan area after receiving information through the national emergency helpline 999. Inspector Firoz Uddin of the Tongi River Police Outpost said officers reached the location around 4.30 pm on Wednesday and recovered the body, initially treating it as that of an unidentified person. Souri was wearing white trousers and a black shirt when his body was found. Police recovered an iPhone from his pocket and a wristwatch, with the mobile phone helping establish his identity. The body was subsequently sent to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in Dhaka for an autopsy.
Dhaka District River Police Superintendent Abdullah Al Mamun said on Thursday that no visible external injuries had been found on the body. He maintained that the cause of death could be determined only after the autopsy report was received. Souri's cousin, Moshfeka Jahan, alleged in a Facebook post early Thursday that he had been murdered because of his involvement in sharing the video of Hasina's departure. Jahan claimed that Souri had faced repeated harassment and mental pressure following the circulation of the footage. She also alleged that detectives continued to monitor him even after he left the Bangladesh Air Force.
According to her account, Souri had not recorded the video himself but had shared footage captured by one of his colleagues. She further alleged that he had been called out of his home before his death and questioned whether he had been targeted for sharing the footage. The allegations have not been independently established, and police have not confirmed any connection between Souri's death and the video. Souri's death has also renewed attention on the circumstances surrounding his departure from the Bangladesh Air Force.
He was reportedly removed from service following controversy over the footage showing Hasina's departure. However, Bangladesh's Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate had stated in August 2025 that Souri was retired in accordance with institutional rules under different circumstances and that there were no allegations against him. The authorities have not established whether his departure from service was connected to the circulation of the video. Hasina fled Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, following weeks of protests against her government. She initially left Dhaka by military helicopter before reportedly boarding a Bangladesh Air Force C-130J Hercules aircraft that flew to India's Hindon airbase in Ghaziabad.
The aircraft was tracked by Indian radar systems after entering Indian airspace. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval received Hasina after the aircraft landed at Hindon. The former prime minister has since been living in India, with her departure marking the end of her prolonged tenure in power. Souri's death has prompted renewed discussion in Bangladesh over the circumstances surrounding the circulation of the video and his subsequent departure from military service. However, investigators have not determined whether the death involved foul play. Police have said further legal steps will depend on the findings of the autopsy and any complaints submitted by the family.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.