Interpol Red Notices Issued Against Two Suspects in Tanu Murder Case

❐ Staff Reporter

Interpol has issued a red notice against two suspects in the murder case of Sohagi Jahan Tonu, a student and theatre activist of Comilla Victoria Government College. They are Md. Zahiduzzaman and Md. Shahin Alam.

Police headquarters confirmed that the notice was issued last Tuesday.

An official at the police headquarters, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the case is currently being investigated by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI). Based on the information and evidence obtained during the investigation, Md. Zahiduzzaman and Md. Shahin Alam have been identified as key accused in the investigation of the case.

According to the investigation agency, when the need arose to collect DNA samples, initiatives were taken to collect samples from the two suspects. But before that, the two fled the country.

According to sources at the Police Headquarters, the PBI requested the issuance of a red notice to identify and locate the fugitives internationally and arrest them according to the laws of the respective countries. At their request, the Bangladesh Police NCB Dhaka took the necessary steps to issue a red notice.

After verifying the information and documents related to the case, Interpol issued separate red notices against the two on September 1.

After issuing the red notice, the investigation officer of the case and inspector of PBI Md. Tariqul Islam said that as a result, law enforcement agencies of Interpol member countries will be able to provide international police cooperation in identifying and locating the accused. If their location is identified in any country, further legal action will be taken under the laws of the concerned country and the applicable international cooperation framework.

Four names have been discussed in the investigation into the Tonu murder case so far. The three who came under DNA testing under the court’s order in 2026 are the then Sergeant Zahiduzzaman, Warrant Officer Hafizur Rahman and Soldier Shahinul Alam. Among them, Hafizur Rahman was arrested on April 22. Later, in July, DNA testing was ordered for former army member Zahidul Islam and Tonu’s classmate Faisal Ahmed alias Rabbi.

Sources related to the investigation said that army members Zahiduzzaman Zahid and Shahin Alam have fled the country. Tonu’s classmate Rabbi is staying in Malaysia. The police found the last location of Zahid and Shahin at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Since then, their mobile phones have been switched off.

According to police information, Zahid and Shaheen fled the country and are hiding in Middle Eastern countries.

On the evening of March 20, 2016, Sohagi Jahan Tonu went to a house inside the Comilla Cantonment to give tuition and did not return home. Later, his body was found in a bush near the cantonment power house.

The next day, Tonu’s father, Yar Hossain, an office assistant at the Cantonment Board (now retired), filed a murder case against unidentified accused at the Kotwali Model Police Station in Comilla.

Initially, the police station investigated the case. Later, the investigation was transferred to the District Detective Branch (DB). A few days later, the case was transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police.

At the beginning of the investigation, complications arose over the autopsy. The first autopsy did not find a specific cause of Tonu’s death. Later, on the court’s orders, the body was exhumed from the grave and a second autopsy was conducted.

In this, various evidence, including Tonu’s clothes, were sent for forensic examination. In 2017, the CID said that DNA of three men’s sperm was found on Tonu’s clothes. This information is considered an important source in the investigation of the case. However, it was not possible to identify the DNA.

In October of the same year, the CID questioned several suspects. Investigators verified the information of various individuals and continued to work with other evidence, including DNA. But despite a lengthy investigation, no charge sheet was filed against any of the accused in the case.

After nearly four and a half years of investigation by the CID, the case was handed over to the police investigation agency PBI on October 21, 2020. The PBI also conducted the investigation for a long time. In the meantime, the investigation officer also changed.

In September 2024, PBI Inspector Tariqul Islam took over as the investigating officer of the case. Then, work began on new old evidence, DNA profiles, and suspects.

The investigation gained new momentum in 2026. On the orders of the court, efforts were made to collect DNA samples from several suspects and compare them with the DNA found on Tonu’s clothing.

Then in April, the PBI arrested former army member Hafizur Rahman. His DNA sample was also collected. At the same time, the investigation revealed that another man’s DNA profile was found in addition to the DNA of the three men previously found on Tonu’s clothing. So far, the DNA profiling of the arrested Hafizur has been done. However, Hafizur’s DNA did not match Tonu’s characteristics.