Ex-Air Force officer’s death: Police cite preliminary evidence of Dwip’s involvement, court grants four-day remand

A Dhaka court has placed Ahmed Shahriar Reza Dwip, an acquaintance of former Bangladesh Air Force officer KM Tahsif Souri, on a four-day remand for questioning in a murder case filed over Tahsif’s death.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Hasib Ullah Piyas passed the order at around 3:30pm on Saturday, following a hearing on a police petition seeking seven days of remand.

During the hearing, police officer Saiful Islam told the court that investigators had found preliminary evidence indicating Dwip, 23, was directly involved in the killing.

He said intensive questioning was necessary to uncover the motive behind the killing, establish the full circumstances of the incident and ensure a proper investigation.

The prosecution told the court that Dwip had accompanied Tahsif to the Mazar Basti area under Tongi West Police Station on the day of the incident. During preliminary questioning, Dwip admitted that Tahsif was his “senior brother”.

Citing the overall investigation and circumstantial evidence, the prosecution said Dwip’s direct and indirect involvement in the killing was becoming clear. It argued that remand was necessary to uncover the actual motive, identify crucial clues and determine whether anyone else was involved in the killing.

After hearing both sides, the court granted four days of remand.

Police said Tahsif left home on his motorcycle on Tuesday evening after receiving a call from Dwip. He had remained missing since then. On Wednesday afternoon, naval police recovered his floating body from the Rajabari Ghat area of the Turag River.

Tahsif’s death sparked widespread speculation, as he had gained public attention for recording video footage during former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s departure from the country.

The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) took Dwip into custody for questioning from his residence on Babar Road in Mohammadpur on Thursday night.

During preliminary questioning, Dwip claimed that he and Tahsif had dinner together at a restaurant that night before separating in the Uttara House Building area. However, he later admitted that he had gone with Tahsif to an area adjacent to Mazar Basti in Tongi, reportedly known as a drug den.

Based on information provided by Dwip, the PBI recovered Tahsif’s motorcycle from the area on Friday morning. A PBI team also took him to the spot in Tongi on Friday for an on-site investigation.

Although Tahsif’s family had initially been reluctant to file a case, his father, KM Enayetul Karim, lodged a murder case with Uttarkhan Police Station late Friday night.

Following the filing of the case, the PBI handed Dwip over to naval police on Friday night.