Retired Senior Warrant Officer Hafizur Rahman, the only suspect arrested in the widely discussed murder case of Sohagi Jahan Tonu, a history student at Cumilla Victoria Government College and a cultural activist, has been released on bail.
He walked out of Cumilla Central Jail at around 7:15 pm on Tuesday after completing the legal formalities. The information was confirmed by Senior Jail Superintendent Md. Shah Alam Khan.
According to jail authorities, the High Court granted Hafizur bail on Sunday. After the bail order reached the Cumilla Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court and the required verification process was completed on Tuesday, he was released from prison.
Hafizur was arrested by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) from his residence in Keraniganj, Dhaka, on April 21 under the supervision of the case’s investigating officer, Inspector Md. Tarikul Islam. He secured release after spending three months and 14 days in custody.
Court sources said Hafizur was produced before the Cumilla Senior Judicial Magistrate’s Court the day after his arrest. The court granted a three-day remand, after which he was interrogated by PBI’s special investigation unit in Dhaka.
DNA testing underway
PBI officials said DNA analysis of samples collected from Tonu’s clothing revealed complete DNA profiles of multiple males. To compare those profiles, the court approved DNA testing of blood samples from two additional suspects—former soldier Md. Jahidul Islam (41) and Faisal Ahmed alias Rabbi (32)—on July 16.
Red notices sought against two fugitives
The court has also issued arrest warrants and ordered Interpol Red Notices against two absconding suspects: retired Sergeant Jahiduzzaman alias Jahid and former soldier Shahin Alam.
According to PBI, Jahid was serving with the 12 Engineer Battalion at Cumilla Cantonment at the time of the incident, while Shahin Alam was attached to the 2 Signal Battalion. Both remain on the run.
Investigating officer Inspector Md. Tarikul Islam confirmed Hafizur’s release on bail but declined to comment on whether Hafizur’s DNA matched samples collected from the victim. He said efforts are continuing to arrest other suspects and collect additional DNA evidence as directed by the court.
Family expresses concern
Tonu’s father, Iyar Hossain, said the family was disappointed by Hafizur’s release before the investigation had been completed. He expressed concern that the bail could affect the pursuit of justice and appealed to the government for a fair and impartial investigation.
Investigation still unresolved after eight years
Sohagi Jahan Tonu went missing on March 20, 2016, while on her way to a private tutoring session inside Cumilla Cantonment. Her body was recovered from a nearby wooded area the following day.
Her father filed a murder case with Kotwali Model Police Station against unidentified persons. The investigation was successively handled by local police, the Detective Branch (DB), and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), but none could solve the case.
In 2017, CID reported finding semen from three different males on Tonu’s clothing, though no DNA comparison with suspects was conducted at the time.
The case was transferred to the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) on October 21, 2020. Since September 2024, Inspector Md. Tarikul Islam has been serving as the sixth investigating officer in the high-profile case.
