The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) has issued Red Notices against two former Bangladesh Army personnel in connection with the 2016 rape and murder of college student Sohagi Jahan Tonu, authorities confirmed.
The notices were issued against retired Sergeant Md Zahiduzzaman, 48, and former soldier Md Shahin Alam, 37, following a request from the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI). Police headquarters' Additional Inspector General for Crime and Operations, Khandaker Rafiqul Islam, confirmed the development on Wednesday.
Investigators believe both suspects are currently in Saudi Arabia, and Saudi authorities have been informed. Earlier reports had indicated Shahin Alam might be in Kuwait, but officials now confirm both men are in the Kingdom.
The Red Notices were issued on Tuesday, September 1, after a Cumilla court on June 8 issued arrest warrants and directed authorities to seek Interpol's assistance. Police officials said they collected necessary documents from the court and applied to Interpol, which "considered the matter seriously" and issued the notices.
A Decade-Long Wait for Justice
Tonu, a 19-year-old history student at Cumilla Victoria Government College and a theatre activist, was found dead near the Cumilla Cantonment powerhouse on March 20, 2016, after going to give private tuition inside the cantonment area. Investigators confirmed she was raped and murdered. Her father filed a murder case the following day.
The case remained unresolved for nearly a decade, with around 80 hearing dates and seven investigating officers from four agencies working on it over the years. The PBI took over the investigation in October 2020.
The case gained momentum on April 21, 2026, when former Senior Warrant Officer Hafizur Rahman became the first person arrested in connection with the murder. He was rearrested in August after the Appellate Division stayed his bail. DNA testing of several former army personnel has also been ordered as part of the ongoing investigation.
While the Red Notices have been issued, no information about them was found on Interpol's public website. Officials explained that not all notices are published publicly, but they are shared with law enforcement and immigration authorities of relevant countries.