Ex-Air Force officer Tahsin Sawar's death: Major (retd) Nasir warns against calling it murder in haste, seeks coordinated probe

Major (retd) Dr Nasir Uddin Ahammed has called for a sequential and coordinated investigation, considering every angle, into the recovery of the body of former Air Force officer Tahsin Sawar. He said it would not be right to describe the incident as a murder before the real cause of death is confirmed.

He shared his views with the media on Thursday, October 29. He also commented that every possibility — suicide, accident or a criminal death — must be examined.

Meanwhile, the Superintendent of Naval Police has said no visible injury marks were found on Tahsin Sawar's body.

Major Nasir said the death of any uniformed person, whether serving or retired, is painful for everyone, but such a death becomes a matter of even greater concern. There is no alternative to a proper investigation to uncover the real cause of death, he said.

Referring to security studies and crime analysis, he said deaths can generally be considered in three categories: natural, suicidal and abnormal.

In his words, investigators need to examine whether a crime is hidden behind a natural death, whether behind a suicide there was pressure or oppression alongside personal crisis, and whether an abnormal death involves accident, negligence or crime.

On Tahsin Sawar's death, Major Nasir said it is reasonable for now to describe the incident as a much-discussed death rather than a murder, because the real cause can only be confirmed by verifying information and evidence through investigation.

He said various discussions and claims about the incident have surfaced on social media, and the inquiry should proceed by verifying their authenticity.

In particular, he said, investigators must examine whether the family has filed any complaint or information with the police station, whether there was any crisis in his personal or family life, and whether he was under any kind of pressure before his death.

According to Major Nasir, by reviewing relevant data including call records, police can form a preliminary idea of whether any abnormal situation arose before his death. But no conclusion should be reached on the basis of a single piece of information; all the information must be viewed together.

There is an allegation that Tahsin Sawar recorded video footage of Sheikh Hasina fleeing the country. On that point, Major Nasir said importance must also be given to verifying the authenticity of the much-discussed footage: how far it is genuine, how it came into the open and whether there was any special purpose behind it all need to be investigated.

Whether the footage has any connection with his death is also a matter for inquiry, he said. In his words, whether Tahsin Sawar came under any pressure because the video was published, or whether any government or private party, intelligence agency, foreign party or political group has any link to the incident, should be examined on the basis of evidence.

He stressed, however, that these possibilities should be treated as subjects of investigation, not as established facts. Whether any party was harmed by the footage's publication, or anyone was alarmed or angered by it, also needs to be investigated, he said.

Major Nasir called on Tahsin Sawar's family, law enforcement agencies and the institutions concerned to work in a coordinated way to uncover the real cause of death. As a former Air Force officer, he said, the relevant military security units and intelligence agencies may also have a role in the case.

He said care is needed so that statements from the various agencies or parties involved in the investigation do not contradict one another. In this regard, the Inter Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) can play a responsible role by presenting verified information to the public.

According to Major Nasir, a coordinated and effective investigation will reduce the scope for misinformation, propaganda and fabricated explanations to spread. At the same time, publishing information after verification in the interest of the investigation will make it possible to answer the various questions in the public mind.

Urging sensitive behaviour towards Tahsin Sawar's family members, Major Nasir said death is an extremely painful and sensitive matter for a family. Everyone must take care that they are not unnecessarily harassed or subjected to disrespectful treatment.

He said that to uncover the real cause of death, the investigation must move forward on the basis of evidence rather than assumption-based statements, and all concerned parties must play a responsible role.