Date Postponed 115 Times in Sagar-Runi Murder Case, Families Question Delays

Staff Reporter

The deadline for submitting the investigation report in the murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and Meherun Runi has been postponed again, with the court setting a new date of March 2. This marks the 115th time the deadline for submitting the report has been delayed.

On Monday, the report was scheduled to be submitted to the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate G.M. Farhan Ishtiaq. However, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), the agency handling the probe, failed to submit the report, prompting the court to set a new date.

Sagar and Runi were killed on February 11, 2012, in their rented apartment in West Rajabazar, Dhaka. Their four-and-a-half-year-old son, Mahir Sarwar Megh, was present at home during the incident. Sagar worked for the private television channel Maasranga, while Runi was employed at ATN Bangla.

Runi’s brother, Nowsher Alam, filed a case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station following the murders. Initially, the police station conducted the investigation, but the case was later transferred to the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). After 62 days, the DB admitted its failure to make progress, and the investigation was handed over to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

After 12 years of investigation, the High Court on September 30 removed RAB from the case and directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to form a high-powered task force to investigate the murders. On October 23, the government formed a four-member task force, headed by the PBI chief, in line with the court’s directive.

The list of accused in the case includes Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Mia, Masum Mintu, Kamrul Islam alias Arun, Abu Saeed, and the couple’s security guards Palash Rudra Pal and Enayet Ahmed. Their acquaintance Tanvir Rahman Khan is also named. While Tanvir and Palash are out on bail, the others remain in jail.

The repeated delays in concluding the investigation and submitting the report have raised questions about the resolution of the case. The families of the victims and their colleagues have demanded the speedy completion of the investigation, including the autopsy process.

Expressing frustration over the repeated postponements, family members questioned the reasons behind the delays. “There was procrastination during the previous government, but why is it being delayed repeatedly now? What is the obstacle?” they asked, demanding justice and expressing their anger over the prolonged process.