Interpol issues red notices for 2 ex-army personnel in Tonu murder case: Police
DHAKA, Bangladesh — Interpol has issued red notices for two former army personnel suspected of involvement in the 2016 murder of college student and theatre activist Sohagi Jahan Tonu in Cumilla, police said.
The notices were issued against former army sergeant Md Zahiduzzaman, 48, and former soldier Md Shahin Alam, 37, following a request from the Police Bureau of Investigation, which is handling the case.
Khandaker Rafiqul Islam, additional inspector general for crime and operations at Police Headquarters, confirmed the development.
Police believe Zahiduzzaman and Shahin are currently in Saudi Arabia and said Saudi authorities have been informed about the notices.
Tonu murder case
Tonu, 19, a history student at Cumilla Victoria Government College and a theatre activist, was found dead near the Cumilla Cantonment on March 20, 2016.
Investigators said she had been raped and murdered. Her death sparked widespread public outrage and protests across Bangladesh.
A murder case was filed at Kotwali Model Police Station the following day.
The case was later transferred among several investigation agencies before the Police Bureau of Investigation took over the probe in October 2020 on instructions from Police Headquarters.
Inspector Tarikul Islam became the seventh investigating officer in September 2024.
Former army personnel identified as suspects
On April 6, Tarikul Islam sought court permission to cross-match DNA profiles of three retired army personnel — Zahiduzzaman, warrant officer Hafizur Rahman and Shahin Alam.
The court approved the request, marking the first formal identification of specific former army personnel as suspects in the case.
In June, a Cumilla court directed authorities to take necessary legal measures, including seeking Interpol assistance, to trace and arrest Zahiduzzaman and Shahin.
Investigators said they had sought DNA samples from the two former army personnel as part of the investigation. However, both have remained outside Bangladesh and are believed to be evading legal proceedings.
Zahiduzzaman and Shahin were stationed at Cumilla Cantonment when Tonu was killed.
Investigation continues
Investigation officer Tarikul Islam said he had been informed that Interpol had issued the red notices but declined to provide further details.
He referred questions about the notices to the Police Headquarters media wing.
The red notices are part of efforts to locate and seek the arrest of the two suspects abroad as investigators continue to pursue the long-running Tonu murder case.
