Even a year after the much-talked-about murder of college girl Sohagi Jahan Tonu, trial into the case filed in this regard is yet to start, with the probe still underway allegedly due to sluggish progress by the investigators.
Interestingly, police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which has been probing the murder since April 1 last year, when contacted, refused to make any comment over the investigation.
However, the Inter Service Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) on Sunday said that the DNA of 25 people, including Sergeant Zahid, who Tonu’s family has been accusing of the killing, did not match those found in the victim’s outfit.
While talking to the Dhaka Tribune, ISPR Director Lt Col Mohammad Rashidul Hasan last night revealed the information, claiming that they have already interrogated around 70 people including more than 40 army men over the murder.
He said that: “I am supporting all kinds of probe into the murder case the way we did in the past. Even now, I am ready to help any investigation.”
Experts say that DNA profiling does not necessarily clarify if someone is linked to a murder, even though it matches the samples collected from a victim’s body or a crime scene. Likewise, it does not help the other way around.
On the night of March 20, 2016, the body of Tonu, a second-year history student of Comilla Victoria Government College and theatre activist, was found dead in a jungle near her house inside Mainamati Cantonment after being raped. Her father Yaar Hossain, a staff at the cantonment board, had filed the case with Kotwali model police station the next day.
With the probe delaying, Tonu’s family is getting more and more frustrated, fearing that they might not get justice.
Tonu’s mother Anwara Begum said: “ We are tired of contacting the CID seeking justice, which we are not even sure to get.”
“The CID has long been telling us that the motive behind the killing will be revealed and the assailants will be punished. But, the their activities does not really reflect so,” continued a heartbroken Anwara.
Moreover, she said that they are feeling great uncertainty and frightened because of repeated threats by what she termed a specialised law enforcing agency.
In the latest development, Yaar Hossain was yet again threatened over cell phone from a land phone on Sunday afternoon, for contacting the media.
“If you want to continue your job, just keep silent. There is no need to talk too much with the media,” the caller said, as quoted by Anwara referring to her husband.
Mentionable, two autopsies were done to help the investigators since the first one drew huge criticism as it on April 4, 2016 said that Tonu was not raped. The second and last post-mortem report, published on June 12, revealed the news of sperm of three people being found in the corpse.
Sunday, June 22, 2025
