13 years on, justice remains elusive
NN Online:
Law enforcement agencies have failed to identify the motive behind the widely discussed brutal murder of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi.
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 changed four times.
In an effort to expedite the long-stalled investigation, the 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 have expressed hope that the mystery surrounding the case will 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, a progress report submitted by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) revealed DNA samples from two unidentified individuals at the crime scene. However, their identities remain unknown.
Sagar, a news editor at 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.
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 that the investigation had made positive progress. However, justice remains elusive.
On February 5 last year, former law minister Anisul Huq told Parliament that he did not want to set a deadline for completing the investigation. “As a lawyer, I know it is not possible to set a timeframe for an investigation.”
Runi’s brother, Naosher Alam, filed the murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station following the killings. 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 then 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 High Court ordered the formation of the task force to probe the case that had remained unsolved for 12 years. The court also directed the Home Ministry to execute the decision after removing RAB from the investigation due to repeated failures in submitting the probe report.
On October 1, Runi’s brother Naosher filed a petition seeking permission for the 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 confirmed that police had restarted the investigation.
Police arrested Tanvir Rahman in connection with the murder case on October 1, 2012. He was granted 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 suspects, two have been granted bail, while the others remain in custody.