A Dhaka court has set November 30 as the revised deadline for the submission of the investigation report in the long-running case of the brutal murder of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi. This marks the 121st delay in the case since its filing over a decade ago.
The report was due for submission on Sunday, but the investigation officer failed to present it to the court. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Minhajul Islam, overseeing the case, has now extended the deadline for the report submission. Police Sub-Inspector Rafiqul Islam Russell from the Mirpur Model Police Station confirmed the development.
The tragic deaths of Sagar, the news editor at Maasranga Television, and Runi, a senior reporter at ATN Bangla, took place on February 11, 2012, in their rented flat in West Rajabazar, Dhaka. The horrific incident, which occurred in front of their young son, Mahir Sarowar Megh, shocked the nation. Following the murder, Runi’s brother, Naosher Alam Roman, filed a case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station.
Initially, the investigation was led by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police. However, the responsibility was later transferred to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). Despite 111 extensions over the years, the probe report has remained unsubmitted.
In response to the growing public outcry, the High Court intervened on September 30, 2024, instructing the Home Ministry to form a high-powered task force, effectively removing RAB from the investigation. On October 23, 2024, the government formed a four-member task force tasked with submitting its findings within six months.
