National Citizen Party (NCP) Convenor and MP Nahid Islam has called for an independent and impartial investigation into the death of former Bangladesh Air Force officer K M Tahsif Souri, whose body was recovered from the Turag River in Dhaka on Wednesday, a day after he went missing.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Nahid expressed shock and deep sorrow over Tahsif’s death and extended his condolences to the bereaved family.

He demanded a thorough investigation to establish what happened to the former officer after his disappearance, saying the details must be made public.

“If anyone is involved in this incident, they must be identified promptly and brought to justice,” Nahid wrote.

He also prayed for the forgiveness of the deceased and asked Allah to grant him Jannatul Ferdous, while wishing patience for his family during this difficult time.

Tahsif, 28, was a retired flight lieutenant. Police recovered his body from the Turag River on Wednesday afternoon after receiving information through the national emergency helpline 999. The body was sent to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital for an autopsy, and the cause of death has not yet been established.

His death has prompted speculation on social media, with some users linking it to controversy surrounding footage of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina leaving Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, following the July uprising. Tahsif was previously reported to have shared footage of Hasina’s departure, while the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) later confirmed that he and another Air Force officer associated with the incident had been retired under the force’s prevailing rules and regulations.

However, claims linking his death to the controversy have not been independently verified, and police have yet to establish the circumstances of his death.