The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) is questioning Ahmed Shahriar Reza Deep, a close friend of former flight lieutenant of Bangladesh Air Force K M Tahsif Souri, to uncover the circumstances surrounding his death.
According to information provided by Deep during questioning, the two travelled by motorcycle from Uttara to the Mazar slum area of Tongi on the night of the incident.
After spending some time there, Deep claimed he could not find Tahsif and eventually returned home alone on the motorcycle.
However, investigators have yet to establish why the two went to the area, what happened after they arrived or how they became separated. The PBI is now verifying Deep’s account to establish the sequence of events.
PBI Dhaka Metro North Inspector Sajedur Rahman shared the information with journalists on Friday afternoon at the Mazar slum area under Tongi West Police Station.
“Tahsif’s junior friend Deep is being questioned, and the process is still ongoing. He has provided various pieces of information.
According to him, they travelled by motorcycle from Uttara to the Mazar slum area of Tongi on the night of the incident and stayed there for some time. At one point, he could not find Tahsif and searched for him. Eventually, he returned home alone on the motorcycle,” Sajedur said.
The PBI official said Deep claimed to have reached home at around 2:30am. The following day, he learned that Tahsif’s body had been recovered near the river. The motorcycle was later recovered as part of the investigation.
“Both of them came here, and no one else was with them. Deep said they came from Uttara on a motorcycle to spend some time together. However, what happened after they arrived, where they went and why they became separated are still being investigated,” he added.
Asked whether Deep had been detained, Sajedur said he was not in custody but was being questioned to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“Initially, he was somewhat frightened, but later he provided various pieces of information. However, we are verifying different aspects of his statement,” he said.
Regarding the recovered motorcycle, the PBI inspector said it was found based on information provided by Deep.
Investigators would verify its ownership using the number plate and engine number.
He said it was too early to determine whether Tahsif's death was a murder, suicide or accident, adding that the actual cause would be established after receiving the autopsy report and other relevant medical information.
Tahsif had swimming certificate; father rejects claim of being chased
Tahsif Souri knew how to swim and had completed a specialised swimming course during his pilot training, for which he received a certificate.
His father, K M Enayetul Karim, has strongly rejected Deep's account to the PBI that Tahsif jumped into the river while being chased.
He believes attempts are being made to portray his son's death differently from what actually happened.
Asked whether he suspected a cover-up or conspiracy, Enayetul Karim said he believed efforts were being made to divert attention from the actual incident.
“Naturally, that is what it seems. Why would anyone chase him? An attempt is being made to take the incident in a different direction. I feel that efforts are underway to present the matter differently,” he said.
Earlier, on Tuesday evening, Tahsif left his home in Sector 18 of Uttara after Deep visited him. The two were later seen leaving on separate motorcycles.
According to the family, Tahsif left at Deep's invitation, and they have had no contact with him since.
On Wednesday, at around 4:30pm, River Police recovered Tahsif's body from the Turag River near Rajabari Ghat in Uttarkhan after receiving information through the national emergency helpline 999.
His relatives identified the body by the wristwatch and iPhone found in his pocket. It was subsequently sent to the morgue of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital for an autopsy.
