Former Bangladesh Air Force officer linked to Sheikh Hasina escape video found dead in Dhaka river

The death of a former Bangladesh Air Force officer whose name surfaced in connection with footage of Sheikh Hasina leaving the country in August 2024 has raised questions after his body was recovered from the Turag River in Dhaka. Flight Lieutenant KM Tahsif Souri, 28, had been missing since Tuesday, October 27, and was found on Wednesday, October 28.

His cousin, Moshfeka Jahan, has alleged that he was murdered because of his reported involvement in circulating the video. However, the allegation has not been substantiated, and authorities have not established any connection between the footage and his death.

River Police confirmed the recovery on Thursday, October 29. Officials said the exact cause of death would be determined through a postmortem examination. Police also reported that no externally visible injuries or wounds were found on his body, although this does not establish how he died.

Body identified through iPhone found in his pocket

According to Bangladeshi media reports, police recovered Souri's body near Rajabari Ghat in the Uttarkhan area at around 4.30 pm on Wednesday after receiving information through the national emergency helpline 999.

Inspector Firoz Uddin of the Tongi River Police Outpost said the body was initially treated as that of an unidentified man. Souri was wearing white trousers and a black shirt, and a wristwatch was found on his wrist. An iPhone recovered from his pocket helped police establish his identity.

The body was subsequently sent to the mortuary at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in Dhaka for an autopsy. Police prepared an inquest report as part of the legal procedure.

Although drowning was initially suspected, investigators have not announced a definitive cause of death. Shaheenur Zaman, the duty officer at Uttarkhan Police Station, told Jago News on Thursday that no complaint had been filed at the station at the time of his statement. Authorities said further action would be taken in accordance with the law.

Souri lived with his family in a flat in Sector 18 of Uttara, according to reports.

Cousin alleges harassment over Hasina footage

The circumstances surrounding Souri's death took a political turn after Jahan accused unidentified people of killing him over the video showing Hasina's departure from Bangladesh.

In a Bangla-language Facebook post published at 3.04 am on Thursday, Jahan questioned why her cousin had been targeted, alleging that his only involvement was sharing the footage. She claimed that he had not recorded it himself and that another officer had filmed it before he circulated it.

According to a report by Jago News, Jahan also alleged that Souri had faced sustained mental harassment over the video. She claimed he had told her that detectives continued to follow him even after he left the Air Force.

These claims have not been independently established. Authorities have not confirmed that Souri was responsible for recording or distributing the footage, nor have they publicly linked his death to the controversy.

What was Souri's reported role in Hasina's departure?

Souri's name came into public discussion after footage of Hasina leaving Bangladesh by aircraft circulated following the collapse of her government on August 5, 2024. The Daily Star reported that he was believed to have recorded the video, while other accounts have suggested that he helped distribute footage filmed by another officer.

The differing accounts leave his precise role unclear. His cousin's statement specifically disputes the claim that he filmed the footage, saying he shared a recording made by a colleague. No official finding has confirmed either version.

Hasina fled Dhaka amid mass protests against her government, which had been in power for 15 years. She reportedly left the capital aboard a military helicopter before boarding a Bangladesh Air Force C-130J Hercules aircraft operating under the callsign AJAX1431.

The aircraft flew to India's Hindon airbase in Ghaziabad. Indian sources told India Today TV at the time that radar systems closely tracked the aircraft as it entered Indian airspace. The Indian Air Force also activated two Rafale fighter jets to provide assistance if required. The aircraft subsequently landed at Hindon, where National Security Adviser Ajit Doval received Hasina.

The footage of her departure became widely circulated amid the political upheaval. Souri's reported connection to the recording or its distribution subsequently drew attention, but no official investigation finding cited in the reports establishes that his death was connected to the video.

Air Force retirement fuelled speculation

Questions have also emerged about Souri's departure from military service. Reports and social media discussions have linked his retirement to the controversy over the footage, although the military's public statement did not establish such a connection.

On August 4, 2025, Bangladesh's Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) said Souri had been retired in accordance with institutional rules, under different circumstances and without any allegations against him. The statement addressed speculation surrounding his departure from the service but did not attribute his retirement to the Hasina video.

Despite the official explanation, his cousin alleged that he had been harassed before and after leaving the Air Force. Her claims have renewed scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding his retirement, but they remain allegations rather than established findings.

Hasina's exile and questions surrounding the death

Souri's death comes as Hasina remains in exile in India. She has previously vowed to return to Bangladesh, according to reports, although the circumstances and timing of any return remain separate from the investigation into the former officer's death.

For now, investigators have yet to determine whether Souri drowned accidentally, died by suicide or was killed. The postmortem examination is expected to provide further information about the cause of death.

Police have not confirmed any link between his death and his reported involvement in the footage of Hasina's departure. The murder allegation made by his cousin, the reported harassment and the circumstances of his retirement remain unresolved as authorities await the autopsy findings.