The High Court (HC) has issued an order directing the authorities to conclude the long-pending investigation into the murders of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi within six months. An HC bench, led by Justice Farah Mahbub, passed the order after releasing a full-fledged verdict on the formation of a six member high-powered task force to probe the double murders. On September 30, 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. 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. Read: Sagar-Runi murder: Court approves appointing 9 lawyers to assist public prosecutor On the night of February 11, 2012, Sagar Sarowar, news editor at Maasranga Television, and Meherun Runi, senior reporter at ATN Bangla, were brutally murdered in their rented apartment in West Rajabazar, Dhaka. Their only son, Mahir Sarowar Megh (then 5 years old), was present in the house at the time of the killings. Runi's brother, Nowsher, filed a murder case at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station. Initially, the case was assigned to Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station for investigation. Three days later, it was handed over to the Detective Branch (DB) of police. After DB failed to make progress, the case was transferred to RAB on April 18, 2012. Police arrested Tanvir Rahman in connection with the murder case on October 1, 2012. Later, he secured bail in 2014. Read more: Sagar-Runi murder: HC orders removal of RAB from probe, formation of task force 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. RAB Additional SP Khandaker Md Shafiqul Alam was appointed as the seventh investigation officer in the case on July 7, 2019.

The High Court on Monday fixed Tuesday to hear a rule issued in 2012 on identifying the accused in the murder of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi. Justice Md Mojibur Rahman Mia and Justice Ahmed Sohel have decided to hear the writ petition demanding proper investigation and bringing the accused under law in the murder case. Advocate Manzil Murshid appeared for the petitioner before the court on Monday. “The court will hear the petition after it comes up on the cause list of the court tomorrow. We want the investigation to conclude soon so that real culprits are punished,” said Advocate Manzil Murshid. Also read: Sagar-Runi Murder: Govt urged to bring perpetrators to justice After the murder of Sagar and Runi, Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) filed a writ petition in public interest on probe and arrest in the murder case. On February 28, the High Court issued a rule in this regard questioning why a direction will not be given to bring the accused in Sagar-Runi murder case under law through proper investigation. After two months of issuing the rule the High Court transferred the responsibility of investigating the case to Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) from the Detective Branch (DB) of police. Lastly, on March 27, this year, the deadline for submission of the probe report in the case was deferred for the 87th time and Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Debdash Chandra Adhikary fixed April 27 as the new date. Maasranga Television News Editor Sagar Sarowar and his wife ATN Bangla senior reporter Meherun Runi were found dead in their rented apartment in the city’s West Rajabazar area on 11 February 2012. Nousher Ali Roman, brother of Runi, filed a case with Sher-e-Banglanagar Police Station on the following day. Police arrested Tanvir in connection with the murder case on October 1, 2012. Later, he secured bail in 2014. Also read: Sagar-Runi murder: DRU seeks PM's intervention to unravel probe Law enforcers have so far arrested eight people, including Tanvir, in connection with the murder case. 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.

Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) on Friday demanded the intervention of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to accelerate the probe into the murder of journalist-couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi. The demand was made at a rally organised in protest of the murder of DRU member journalist couple Sagar Sarowar, the news editor of Maasranga Television, and Meherun Runi, a senior reporter for ATN Bangla. Read: 2012 journo-couple murder: Bring perpetrators to justice, says ARTICLE 19 A memorandum will be issued to the home minister next Sunday demanding the trial for Sagar-Runi's murder. "We will issue a memorandum to  the President, the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice on the same demand," said DRU president Nazrul Islam Mithu during the protest. Expressing disappointments over the change in the date of submission of probe report for 85 times in the last ten years, the journalist leaders said, "We do not have faith in the police over the investigation process." "Investigating officers are repeatedly failing to submit the probe report. That is why the intervention of the prime minister is needed." Besides, the leaders demanded immediate arrest of the killers and urged a united movement of journalists. Joint secretary general of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) Sheikh Mamunur Rashid, Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) President Quddus Afrad, DUJ General Secretary Sajjad Alam Khan Tapu, former General Secretary of DRU Raju Ahmed, former Vice President of DRU Ajmal Haque Helal, former executive members of DRU Kudrat-e Khoda and Moinul Ahsan spoke at the protest rally among others. Read: Sagar-Runi murder case: Submission of probe report deferred for 85th time DRU organised a three-day program to demand justice for the murders of journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and Meherun Runi. Mahir Sarowar Megh, the only child of the journalist-couple, and Runi's brother Nowsher Roman were present at the candle lighting program at DRU premises on Thursday night. Maasranga Television News Editor Sagar Sarowar and his wife ATN Bangla senior reporter Meherun Runi were found dead at their rented apartment in the city’s West Rajabazar area on 11 February 2012.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Mohammad Javed Patwary on Tuesday said Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) is putting in its best efforts to crack the murder case of journalist couple Sagar and Runi soon.

The High Court on Thursday observed that the success of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) will fade if it fails to debunk the mystery behind the murder of journalist couple Sagar and Runi.

The High Court on Monday wanted to know how long the investigation into Sagar-Runi murder case will continue as seven years have already elapsed since the gruesome murder.