Former Bangladesh Air Force Flight Lieutenant Tahsif Souri, whose body was recovered from the Turag River this week, had questioned allegations that he recorded and circulated a video of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina leaving the country on August 5, 2024.
In an interview with YouTube-based podcast and talk show platform "Speak with Rashid" on July 21, 2026, Tahsif questioned the evidence behind the allegations and suggested they might have led to his dismissal from the Air Force.
The interview, hosted by Mamunur Rashid, has resurfaced following the recovery of his body.
During the interview, the host referred to a media report alleging that footage of Sheikh Hasina leaving the country had been recorded at Kurmitola Airport and circulated by Tahsif. The report also reportedly linked him to an investigation into the alleged involvement of India's intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), within the Air Force.
Responding to the allegations, Tahsif said the report had claimed that Rifat Ashrafi recorded the video and that he had circulated it. He questioned what evidence supported the allegation that he had shared the footage.
“Even if I recorded the video or circulated it, what proof do they have? I want to ask that,” he said.
Asked whether the allegations had led to his dismissal from the Air Force, Tahsif said this was possible but declined to disclose details of the events at the time.
“I cannot disclose everything, and there are things I am unable to discuss. I think they did this because of these allegations,” he said.
Tahsif also said he faced social embarrassment and harassment after the report was published, claiming its headline and presentation had created a misleading impression of him among readers.
He rejected the allegations of RAW's involvement within the Air Force, saying: “If I were linked to RAW, why would I be in Bangladesh? If I were linked to RAW, why would I speak publicly?”
He described the allegation as “a very ridiculous claim”.
Tahsif further claimed that the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) directorate had said he had no such involvement. However, no detailed documents supporting the claim were presented during the interview.
Asked whether he had appealed against his discharge from the Air Force, Tahsif said he had not and was uncertain whether he would do so in the future.
He also expressed frustration over the withholding of his passport, describing it as a violation of his democratic rights.
“They had withheld my passport, which is my democratic right. I am deeply upset about this. I suffered for two years,” he said, adding that he had since recovered the passport.
Father cites disciplinary issues
Tahsif's father, KM Enayetul Karim Helal, told journalists at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital on Thursday that his son had been dismissed from the Air Force in September 2024, following the change of government the previous month.
He said the family had been told that the dismissal was related to disciplinary issues.
“Only the department can explain this. The department simply told us that it is a disciplined organisation and that he was discharged because of indiscipline,” he said.
After leaving the Air Force, Tahsif worked at the Bangladesh Cricket Board and Netra News. Most recently, he was employed as an administration and security officer at Vargo Tobacco.
Asked whether his son had received any threats, his father said Tahsif occasionally told him that he felt apprehensive. However, he said he did not know what had caused his son's concerns and clarified that Tahsif had never told him he had been threatened.
His father also said the family had no information about whether Tahsif had recorded or circulated the video of Sheikh Hasina leaving the country.
“We know nothing about this matter, or even whether he actually posted the video,” he said.
Body recovered from Turag River
Tahsif's body was recovered from the Turag River on Wednesday and sent to the morgue at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital for an autopsy.
After the autopsy, Dr Nashat Jabin, head of the hospital's forensic medicine department and an assistant professor, said samples from Tahsif's liver, kidneys, stomach and blood had been collected and sent for testing. Samples for DNA profiling were also collected.
The cause of death will be established after the test results are received, she said.
Dhaka District River Police Superintendent Abdullah Al Mamun said on Thursday that no externally visible injuries or wounds had been found on Tahsif's body.
He said the cause of death would be determined after the autopsy report was received, adding that further legal action would be taken based on complaints from the family.