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Published : 14 Jul 2026, 10:39 AM
Four years after Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) student Tarikuzzaman Sunny died during a trip with friends to Mainot Ghat in Dohar, Dhaka, the investigation into the case remains incomplete, with authorities unable to say when it will finally conclude.
The case has changed hands five times and is now being investigated by Sub-Inspector Mashiur Rahman of the Kutubpur River Police Outpost in Dohar.
Asked when the probe might be completed, Mashiur told bdnews24.com: "It is not possible to say exactly. However, we will try to submit the report as soon as possible."
Responding to another question, he said: "Whether it was an accident or a murder will be determined after the investigation. I cannot disclose everything at this stage."
On Jul 14, 2022, a group of 16 people travelled from Dhaka to the scenic Mainot Ghat on eight motorcycles.
That night, Sunny fell into the Padma River from the riverbank and went missing. Fire Service personnel recovered his body from near the spot the following afternoon.
Sunny’s elder brother Hasanuzzaman filed a murder case, accusing the 15 friends who had accompanied him of pushing him into the river. All of the accused were arrested and later sent to jail before securing bail.
The accused are Shariful Hossain, Shakil Ahmed, Sejan Ahmed, Rubel, Sajib, Nurjaman, Nasir, Maruf, Ashraful Alam, Jahangir Hossain Liton, Noman, Zahid, ATM Shahriar Momin, Maruful Haque Maruf and Rokonuzzaman, also known as Jitu.
The Kutubpur River Police Outpost has been investigating the case from the beginning. Frustrated by the prolonged delay, Sunny's family wants another agency to take over the investigation.
On Apr 27 this year, Hasanuzzaman filed a petition with the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Mahbubur Rahman in Dhaka seeking to transfer the investigation to either the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) or the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI).
The court rejected the petition and instead directed the river police to submit the investigation report. Jun 2 was set as the deadline.
When investigators failed to submit the report on that date, the court sought an explanation.
In his response, SI Mashiur said five officers had investigated the case before him and that he was the sixth investigating officer.
"This is a widely discussed and sensitive case. The investigation is continuing under the close supervision of senior authorities. The report will be submitted to the court as soon as possible. The delay in submitting the police report was unintentional."
According to SI Md Shahriar of the prosecution division, the court has now fixed Aug 3 as the next date for submission of the report.
He said the investigating agency has sought time to submit the report 41 times so far.
Speaking to bdnews24.com, Mashiur said: "Senior officials are monitoring the case. The investigation is ongoing. The report will be submitted to the court once it is completed."
Plaintiff Hasanuzzaman said the failure to complete the investigation even after four years was "deeply unfortunate”.
"It has been four years, yet the investigation is still unfinished. During this time, five investigating officers have been replaced, and now the sixth officer is handling the case.
"They are River Police. Perhaps they do not have the necessary equipment to complete the investigation. They remain occupied with boats, crews and rescue operations. That is why we requested another agency to investigate the case. But they are not saying they will hand it over either. If they did, things would become much easier."
He said every officer assigned to the case had made an effort but had failed to find decisive evidence.
"How can they find a clue? There was no one there except my brother and the other 15 people.
"It was evening, and after sunset nobody remained there. Why did they stay there after dark? There were no eyewitnesses. Fifteen people returned, but my brother did not."
Hasanuzzaman said two questions continued to haunt him.
"Sixteen people went together, but only one died. They say he was swept away by the current. But if he had been carried away, why was his body found near the place where he fell? The river was not even very swollen. They were all together.
"My brother drowned, and no one saw anything? I just want the truth to come out. If one of those 15 people had died instead of my brother, what would they have done? They know what happened, but perhaps they are unable to tell the truth."
At the time of the incident, Sunny was a final-year student in the Department of Architecture at BUET. His family home is in Dangur Beparikandi village of Jazira Upazila in Shariatpur.
Sunny's father Harun Or Rashid died two years before the incident. Hasanuzzaman, an official at City Bank, now lives with their mother in Dhaka's Hazaribagh area.
"My mother is a very simple person. She was devastated after Sunny's death. Only Allah has kept her alive somehow.
"That day, Sunny left home in the afternoon. My mother had asked him to have lunch before leaving, but he went out without eating. Since then, my mother has not been able to eat rice. It was a Friday, and she now fasts every Friday.
"Earlier, I had my mother and my brother. Now there is only my mother. We still hope the truth will come out. I want to be able to tell my brother in the afterlife that we did everything we could to seek justice for him."
Defence lawyer Pranab Kumar Dey said the prolonged investigation was causing unnecessary hardship for the accused.
"Even after four years, the case is still under investigation. The accused are being harassed because they are not involved in the incident. They have to appear before the court on every scheduled date, spending both time and money. They are poor people who earn their living through daily work."
He added: "It is not only the accused who are suffering. Everyone involved is facing hardship. Lawyers may be earning some fees, but we do not want that. We also want the investigation to be completed quickly. Whatever the findings are, everyone will benefit from having the matter resolved."
