Sole accused in Tonu murder case, ex-army man Hafizur released on bail

Retired army personnel Hafizur Rahman, the only accused arrested in the murder case of Cumilla college student Sohagi Jahan Tonu, has been released from prison after securing bail from the High Court.

He was released from Cumilla Central Jail at 7:05pm on Tuesday (4 August).

Earlier, on Sunday (2 August), a High Court bench comprising Justice Zakir Ahmed and Justice Sathika Hossain granted him bail following a hearing. The development was confirmed by Cumilla Central Jail's Senior Jail Superintendent, Mohammad Shah Alam Khan.

Nearly a decade after the murder, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) arrested Hafizur Rahman from his residence in Keraniganj, Dhaka, on the night of 22 April this year in connection with the case.

He was produced before a Cumilla court the following day, where the PBI sought a seven-day remand for questioning. The court later granted a three-day remand.

The PBI said that following his arrest, DNA samples were collected from Hafizur Rahman for forensic testing. The DNA report has since been submitted to the court.

The murder of Sohagi Jahan Tonu, a student of Cumilla Victoria Government College and a theatre activist, in March 2016 sparked nationwide outrage.

Despite years of investigation, the mystery surrounding the killing remains unsolved.

Hafizur Rahman's arrest in April marked the first time anyone had been detained in connection with the case.

Senior Jail Superintendent Mohammad Shah Alam Khan said Hafizur Rahman was released on Tuesday evening after the necessary formalities were completed following the High Court's bail order.