Former army man Hafizur sent to jail in Tonu murder case

Former army member Hafizur Rahman, 52, who was arrested in connection with the murder of Cumilla Victoria Government College student Sohagi Jahan Tonu a decade ago, has been sent to jail.

Hafizur Rahman was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court in Cumilla by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) around 3:30pm on Saturday. The court's Senior Judicial Magistrate Tayeb Uddin ordered him to be sent to jail.

Court police inspector Sadekur Rahman confirmed the matter to media.

Hafizur was arrested and sent to jail on April 22 this year. On August 2, the High Court granted him six months' interim bail, and he was released from jail on August 4. The state filed an appeal against the bail order with the Chamber Court. On August 6, the Appellate Division's Chamber Court stayed the High Court's bail order and directed him to surrender within 24 hours, or police were to arrest him. As Hafizur did not surrender within 24 hours, PBI arrested him from his Keraniganj residence around 8am on Saturday.

PBI Inspector Tarikul Islam, the investigation officer in the case, said although he had obtained bail from the High Court, it was stayed by the Chamber Court. Hafiz was given the opportunity to surrender but did not, so PBI arrested him on Saturday.

On March 20, 2016, Tonu went missing after going to give tuition at a residence in the Cumilla Cantonment area. Her body was recovered from bushes near the power house inside the cantonment. It was initially suspected that she was raped and murdered.

The following day, her father, Yar Hossain, filed a murder case against unidentified persons with Cumilla Kotwali Model Police Station. Hafizur Rahman was arrested from his Keraniganj residence on April 22 this year by the investigation agency PBI.