Ex-Air Force Officer’s Body Recovered from Turag River; Identified by iPhone

Naval police recovered the body of former Bangladesh Air Force Flight Lieutenant K. M. Tahsif Sauri from the Turag River in Uttarkhan, Dhaka, on Wednesday (October 28), a day after he was reported missing. His identity was confirmed using an iPhone found with him.

The recovery was confirmed on Thursday morning (October 29) by Shahinur, duty officer at Uttarkhan Police Station under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). He said naval police recovered a body from the river on Wednesday evening after receiving information and subsequently notified Uttarkhan police.

According to naval police sources, retired Flight Lieutenant K. M. Tahsif Sauri had been missing since the night of October 27. At around 4:30 pm on Wednesday, members of the Tongi naval police outpost reached the Turag River near Rajabari Ghat in Uttarkhan after receiving a report through the national emergency service 999. They later recovered the body.

At the time of recovery, he was wearing white pyjama trousers and a black shirt. A watch was found on his wrist and an iPhone in his pocket. His identity was subsequently established through the phone.

Firoz Uddin, an inspector at the Tongi naval police outpost, said the body was sent to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital for an autopsy.

K. H. M. Ershad, additional deputy commissioner (ADC) of the Uttara zone, said naval police recovered the body on Wednesday evening. However, it had not been handed over to the police at the time of his statement. He also said no case had been filed in connection with the incident and that further details could be obtained from the naval police.

Tahsif and another Air Force officer, Flight Lieutenant Rifat Ashrafi, drew public attention after footage of Sheikh Hasina leaving Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, was recorded and circulated on social media.

According to published reports, Rifat Ashrafi recorded the scene from a window in a room at the officers’ mess at the Air Force’s Kurmitola airbase, while Tahsif shared the video on his Facebook timeline. Sources familiar with the matter said both officers were subsequently sent into compulsory retirement.

Information related to the incident states that the Air Force’s Air Intelligence unit launched an investigation to identify the source of the video after it circulated online. Investigators reportedly analysed the recording angle, location and camera movement to determine which room it had been filmed from. The account states that Rifat Ashrafi admitted during questioning to recording the scene from his office-room window. Tahsif was also reported to have acknowledged posting the video.

Police have not immediately disclosed the cause of Tahsif’s death. Further information may become available following the autopsy report and related investigation.