Court orders DNA tests for 2 ex-army staff
A Cumilla court has ordered the collection of DNA samples from two more former army personnel in connection with the rape and murder of Cumilla Victoria Government College student Sohagi Jahan Tonu.
The two are former soldier Jahidul Islam, of Meghai village in Sirajganj, and former soldier Faisal Ahmed Rabbi, of Rajapara Lakshminagar in Cumilla.
Police Bureau of Investigation Inspector Md Tarikul Islam, the investigating officer of the case, confirmed the development on Tuesday.
He said Cumilla Senior Judicial Magistrate Court No 1 Judge Muminul Haque issued the order on July 17 following an application by the PBI.
“We sought the court’s permission considering the requirements of the investigation, and the court approved the collection of their DNA samples,” he said.
Earlier, on April 6, the court ordered DNA samples to be collected from three other suspects-retired Sergeant Zahiduzzaman, retired Senior Warrant Officer Md Hafizur Rahman and former soldier Shahinul Alam.
The samples will be compared with DNA profiles recovered from Tonu’s clothing.
Investigators had previously detected DNA belonging to three unidentified individuals, but the profiles remained unmatched for years.
The court has also ordered Interpol Red Notices against Zahiduzzaman and Shahinul, described by investigators as two key suspects in the case.
According to the PBI, Shahinul has fled to Kuwait, while Zahiduzzaman’s whereabouts remain unknown. Hafizur Rahman, the only person arrested so far, is being held at Cumilla Central Jail.
The latest court order is part of renewed efforts by the PBI to identify those linked to the DNA evidence.
Tonu, a student and theatre activist, went missing on the evening of March 20, 2016, after going to the Cumilla Cantonment area to provide private tuition.
Her body was recovered the following day from a wooded area near the cantonment power house.
Her father later filed a murder case against unidentified persons with Cumilla Kotwali Model Police Station.
The investigation was handled successively by local police, the Detective Branch and the Criminal Investigation Department, but none of the agencies could resolve the case.
Police Headquarters transferred the investigation to the PBI on October 21, 2020.
Inspector Md Mujibur Rahman led the investigation for nearly four years before Inspector Md Tarikul Islam took over as the sixth investigating officer in September 2024.
Earlier this year, Tonu’s father expressed frustration over the prolonged investigation, saying he hoped to see justice for his daughter during his lifetime after waiting nearly a decade.
