Today marks 13 years since the brutal murder of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi, yet law enforcement agencies have not been able to identify the motive behind the much-discussed crime.
Over the years, the submission date for the investigation report in the Sagar-Runi murder case has been postponed over 100 times and the investigating authority has been changed four times.
In a bid to expedite the long-stalled investigation, the current interim government formed a high-powered task force on October 23 last year, led by the chief of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI).
Both the PBI chief and the plaintiff’s lawyers expressed hope that the mystery surrounding the case would finally be solved.
On January 27, a Dhaka court once again rescheduled the submission date for the investigation report, setting it for March 2. This marks the 115th time the submission has been delayed.
Six years ago, in a progress report submitted to the court, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) revealed that DNA samples from two unidentified people were found at the crime scene. However, those people are yet to be identified.
Sagar, a news editor at private television channel Maasranga TV, and Runi, a senior reporter at ATN Bangla, were murdered in their rented apartment in Dhaka’s West Rajabazar on February 11, 2012. Their four-and-a-half-year-old son, Mahir Sarowar Megh, was present in the house at the time of the murder.
Following the killings, then home minister Sahara Khatun (late) assured that the perpetrators would be arrested within 48 hours. Two days later, then inspector general of police (IGP) Hasan Mahmud Khandker claimed the investigation had made positive progress.
However, a solution has been elusive.
Hopeful PBI can solve Sagar-Runi murder case: Shafiqul Alam
On February 5 last year, former law minister Anisul Huq told the National Parliament that he did not want to set a deadline for completing the Sagar-Runi murder investigation. “As a lawyer, I know it is not possible to set a timeframe for an investigation.”
Probe should not be concluded until investigators successfully debunk the mystery, he said.
Runi’s brother, Naosher Alam, filed the murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station following the murders.
Initially, police handled the investigation, but after four days, it was transferred to the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
DB admitted its failure before the High Court on April 18, 2012, after 62 days of investigation. The case was subsequently assigned to RAB.
Despite years of legal proceedings, the case remains unresolved. Adding to the grief, Runi’s mother, Nurun Nahar Mirza, passed away two years ago without seeing justice for her daughter and son-in-law.
On September 30, 2024 the HC ordered the formation of the task force to probe the case that remained unsolved for 12 years.
The court also directed the Home Ministry to execute the decision after removing the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from the investigation as the elite force had repeatedly been failing to submit the probe report.
Earlier, the submission date of the probe report on the double murders has been deferred for the 114th time till October 15.
On October 1 this year, Runi’s brother Nowsher filed a petition with a trial court seeking permission for appointment of nine lawyers to assist the state in the case.
Sagar-Runi murder case: Court reschedules submission date for investigation report
Later, the court appointed nine lawyers, including Supreme Court lawyer Shishir Monir.
On October 10, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Moinul Islam said police started reinvestigating the case.
Police arrested Tanvir Rahman in connection with the murder case on October 1, 2012. Later, he secured bail in 2014.
The seven other suspects are Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Mia, Abu Syed, Mintu alias Baggira Mintu alias Masum Mintu, Quamrul Hasan alias Arun, security guard Enam Ahmed alias Humayun Kabir and Palash Rudra Pal.
Out of the eight people arrested in connection with the case, two were granted bail, while the others are in jail.