On the surface, it was portrayed as just another tragic domestic dispute. But beneath the official narrative lies a tangle of suspicious circumstances, unanswered questions, and a possible cover-up involving Bangladesh’s top echelon during the caretaker government of 2001. More than two decades have passed since the mysterious deaths of Zahirul Islam Jahan and his wife Ayesha Afsari — a protocol officer in the Chief Advisor’s office — yet the truth remains buried. Now, with the sudden reappearance of a key figure from that same office who had fled the country right after the incident and has quietly re-entered public life under the current Muhammad Yunus regime, the case demands urgent reinvestigation.

On April 4, 2001, local newspapers splashed front-page headlines: “Husband kills CA’s protocol officer, commits suicide”. According to reports, Zahirul Islam Jahan allegedly shot his wife Ayesha Afsari following a marital quarrel, then turned the gun on himself. The media narrative, seemingly fed by law enforcement, pointed to a “drunken, jealous husband” enraged over suspicions of an extramarital affair between his wife and an unnamed influential figure from the Chief Advisor’s office.

But glaring inconsistencies and disturbing oversights raise doubts about the official version of events.

As reported, Zahirul — a member of the Narayanganj Shooting Club — allegedly shot Ayesha in the chest and head using a .22 bore rifle........

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