Six years have passed since Sohagi Jahan Tonu was found dead behind a bush in the Comilla Cantonment, not very far from her home.
The sensational case of rape-murder has been dragging on with no breakthrough.
As of today, five investigating officers have changed in this case, and as a consequence, Tonu's family has to relive this horrific incident every time, with the same set of questions from the officers.
“All of the investigating officers ask us the same questions regarding Tonu. ‘When did she leave home? Where was Tonu going?’ Their questions are always stuck in one place,” said Tonu’s mother Anwara Begum.
Her brother Anwar Hossain Rubel said: "My sister's killers are still out of reach, even after it has been six years. We have had no contact with the current investigating officer for more than a year and we have no idea where this case is going.”
Tonu’s father Yaar Hossain said his family is losing hope that they will ever get to see justice for Tonu. “We have been waiting for six long years for justice. I do not know if I’ll ever be able to get the punishment for the perpetrators they deserve.”
He added that Tonu’s case only gets highlighted on March 20, when she was murdered. “But our hearts ache for her every day.”
"Our investigation is ongoing," said investigating officer Mujibur Rahman of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI).
“We still haven't found the killers. But we hope to bring Tanu's killer to justice soon,” he said.
On March 20, 2016, Comilla Victoria College student Tonu left home for tutoring at a house inside Comilla Cantonment. She was later found dead behind a bush.
The next day, Tonu’s father filed a murder case against unknown assailants at Kotwali Model police station.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Comilla took on the investigation of the case in April of 2016.
In May of 2017, CID informed the media of finding semen of three men, who reportedly raped her before murder.
However, the progress in testing the samples was not disclosed.
In October 2017, the three people suspected by Tonu’s mother were interrogated in Dhaka.
Since September 2020, the murder case is being investigated by PBI.
