Published : 29 Oct 2026, 03:04 PM
Updated : 29 Oct 2026, 03:04 PM
An initial death report says there were no injury marks on the body of retired Bangladesh Air Force flight lieutenant Tahsif Souri, who came to be known as the one who allegedly “filmed the video” of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina leaving Bangladesh on Aug 5, 2024.
Tongi River Police Outpost Sub-Inspector Mostafizur Rahman, who prepared the report, noted that blood was seen coming out of Tahsif’s nose.
According to the inquest report, Tahsif’s body was found floating near the Rajabari Ghat on the Turag River around 5:45pm on Wednesday and required.
In cases of unnatural death, police prepare an initial death report, called the Surathal report, after visiting the scene or examining the external condition of the body.
According to Tahsif’s report, he was approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall. He had black hair, a black beard and a moustache, which were kept short. His eyes and mouth were closed, while blood was seen coming out of his nose.
Both his arms were bent in front of his head and his fists were clenched. His abdomen was swollen.
Other than that, the report said his chest, abdomen, back, both legs and genitalia appeared normal. No injury marks were found on his body.
When the body was recovered, he was wearing a black full-sleeved shirt and white trousers.
An initial report by the River Police also said a watch was found on his wrist and an iPhone in his pocket. His identity was established through the phone.
The body was sent to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College morgue for a postmortem.
Tahsif, 28, lived in Sector 18 of Uttara in Dhaka. His family home is in Khulna’s Sonadanga.
In 2024, a video went viral showing then-prime minister Hasina leaving the country aboard an aircraft from Kurmitola airport on Aug 5, 2024. Tahsif was said to have filmed the footage.
During a podcast in July, Tahsif was asked whether he had lost his job in the Air Force for recording the video.
“Could be,” he replied.
During the same podcast, he was asked about a report by the daily Amar Desh, which claimed that an Air Force investigation into the video had uncovered links between people within the force and Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing, or RAW, and that Tahsif’s name was among those allegedly connected to the agency.
Tahsif responded: “I think the report Amar Desh published was actually serving some sort of propaganda.”
After the Amar Desh report was published on Aug 4 last year, the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate, or ISPR, issued a rejoinder.
It said the report claimed that two officers, including Tahsif, had been sent into compulsory retirement over allegations of links to a foreign intelligence agency.
“In reality”, the two officers were retired under established Air Force laws and regulations following due process and in different circumstances, ISPR said, adding that their retirement had no connection with the allegations.
