A Dhaka court has granted a third spell of remand, this time for three days, for Ahmed Shahriar Reza Dip in a murder case filed over the death of former air force officer KM Tahsif Sauri.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Monirul Islam passed the order on Thursday following a petition by the investigation officer. State lawyer Muhammad Shamsuddoha Sumon confirmed the development.
Inspector Firoz Uddin of the Tongi River Police Outpost, the investigation officer, had sought seven days’ remand, citing five reasons. These included establishing the motive behind the alleged killing, recovering evidence, identifying the suspected mastermind and accomplices, checking Dip’s statements against eyewitness accounts and CCTV footage, and understanding how the incident took place.
Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Omar Faruqui argued in favour of the remand, while Dip’s lawyer, Monirul Islam, sought his release on bail and opposed further questioning. After hearing both sides, the court granted three days’ remand.
Tahsif’s body was recovered by river police from the Rajabari Ghat area of the Turag River on the afternoon of October 28. He had left home on his motorcycle on the evening of October 27 after Dip called him downstairs.
Dip said on October 29 that he had dinner with Tahsif at a restaurant before parting ways in the Uttara House Building area. He was handed over to river police on the night of October 30, amid discussions over what action would be taken against him after no case had been filed within three days of the body’s recovery.
After Tahsif’s father filed the case that night, police showed Dip arrested. He was initially remanded for four days, followed by a second three-day remand on Tuesday.
Police recovered Tahsif’s motorcycle from Tongi’s Mazar slum area on the morning of October 30, based on information provided by Dip. He also admitted to visiting the area with Tahsif late at night. Investigators from the Police Bureau of Investigation later visited the area with him.
Dip is described in the case as a close acquaintance of Tahsif. The former air force officer had drawn attention for allegedly recording a video of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina leaving the country.
Meanwhile, Tahsif’s girlfriend, Jerika Tasnim Disha, was placed on a second three-day remand on Wednesday after an initial four-day spell. She was reportedly seen with Tahsif at a bar in Uttara on the night of the incident.