The High Court has granted another six months to complete the investigation into the murder of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi.
A bench of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice AFM Saiful Karim passed the order on Sunday after a hearing.
During the hearing, the Attorney General said the investigation had reached its final stage and required some more time for completion. The court then allowed an additional six months to finish the probe.
Senior lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir represented the petitioners in the court.
Earlier, on October 23, 2025, the High Court had directed a high-level taskforce committee to submit the investigation report within six months, stating that it would be the final extension.
In October 2024, the court ordered the formation of a four-member high-level taskforce committee to investigate the case. The committee was headed by the chief of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI). It also included a representative not below the rank of additional deputy inspector general, one from the CID and one from RAB.
However, the taskforce failed to submit its investigation report within the deadline.
On Sunday, the court noted that an updated progress report had been submitted by the taskforce.
On the day, the Attorney General described it as painful that even after 13 years, no charge sheet has been filed in the much-discussed case.
Earlier, on October 23 last year, the High Court bench of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Fatema Anwar granted the high-level taskforce committee six months to submit the investigation report in the murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and Meherun Runi.
On the night of 11 February 2012, journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and Meherun Runi were killed in West Rajabazar of Dhaka. Their mutilated bodies were recovered the following morning.
On 12 February that year, Runi’s brother, Naosher Ali Roman, filed a murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station. A police officer from the same station initially investigated the case. On 16 February, the responsibility of the investigation was handed over to Detective Branch (DB) Inspector Md Rabiul Alam (North).
Two months later, following a High Court order, the investigation was assigned to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). Later, on 29 September 2024, lawyer Shishir Monir was appointed to represent the complainant side in the legal battle.
Following the killing in 2012, Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh filed a public interest litigation seeking progress in the investigation and arrest of the accused. Based on the petition, the High Court issued a rule. On 28 February of that year, the court asked why directions should not be issued to identify the killers of Sagar and Runi and bring them under the law.
