Former Bangladesh Air Force Officer Found Dead in Dhaka River Amid Questions Over Hasina Departure Video

Former Bangladesh Air Force Flight Lieutenant KM Tahsif Souri, 28, was found dead in the Turag River in Dhaka on October 28, a day after he was reported missing. His death has drawn attention because of his reported links to video footage showing former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaving Bangladesh during the mass protests that led to the collapse of her government in August 2024.

River police recovered Souri’s body near Rajabari Ghat, in the Uttarkhan area, following information received through Bangladesh’s national emergency helpline, 999. A mobile phone, reportedly an iPhone, and a wristwatch found with the body helped establish his identity.

The body was sent to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Preliminary reports indicated no visible external injury marks, although bleeding from the nose and abdominal swelling were reportedly observed. The official cause of death has yet to be established, pending the full autopsy report.

Police have not publicly confirmed any motive or established a connection between his death and the controversy surrounding the 2024 footage.

Souri was reportedly associated with widely circulated footage showing Sheikh Hasina leaving Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, as protests intensified and her government collapsed. Media reports, including coverage by The Daily Star, linked him to the recording or circulation of the video, which showed Hasina departing by helicopter before travelling aboard a Bangladesh Air Force C-130J Hercules aircraft to India’s Hindon airbase.

However, his precise role in recording or sharing the footage has not been independently or officially confirmed. Some accounts, including those attributed to his family, suggested that he shared a video recorded by a colleague rather than filming it himself.

Reports said Souri was dismissed or discharged from the Air Force around August or September 2024 in connection with the incident. During a podcast in July, when asked whether he had lost his position because of the video, he reportedly responded, “Could be.”

Souri’s family members had previously expressed concerns about his safety. His cousin, Moshfeka Jahan, alleged in a Facebook post that he had been subjected to prolonged harassment, psychological pressure and surveillance. She also claimed that he had been murdered over the video, although the allegation has not been substantiated by investigators.

His father also reportedly raised concerns about the pressure and circumstances surrounding his son’s life after leaving the Air Force.

The allegations have intensified public speculation surrounding the death. However, authorities have not established that Souri was murdered or that his death was connected to the footage of Hasina’s departure.

The discovery of Souri’s body has attracted renewed attention amid continuing political debate in Bangladesh and reports concerning the possibility of Hasina’s return from exile in India.