The submission date for the investigation report in the murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi has been deferred once again, now set for 27 August.
With this, the report has been postponed 128 times. On Wednesday, after a hearing, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam fixed the new date.
The report was scheduled to be submitted on Tuesday, but the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) failed to present it. As a result, the judge set a fresh date for submission.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Prosecution Division Sub‑Inspector Mazharul Islam confirmed the information.
On 11 February 2012, Sagar, news editor of Maasranga Television, and Runi, senior reporter of ATN Bangla, were murdered. Later, Runi’s brother, Nausher Alam Roman, filed a murder case at Sher‑e‑Bangla Nagar Police Station.
The accused in the case are Rafiqul Islam, Bokul Mia, Masum Mintoo, Kamrul Islam alias Arun, Abu Sayeed, the couple’s two security guards Palash Rudra Pal and Enayet Ahmed, and their “friend” Tanvir Rahman Khan. Among them, Tanvir and Palash are out on bail, while the others remain in prison.
Initially, a sub-inspector of Sher‑e‑Bangla Nagar Police Station was the investigation officer. Four days later, the case was handed over to Detective Branch of Police.
After more than two months of investigation, DB failed to uncover the mystery. On 18 April of the same year, the High Court transferred the investigation to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
On 30 September last year, the High Court ordered the formation of a high‑powered task force comprising experienced investigators from different agencies to probe the case.
The court directed that the investigation be completed within six months and also ordered RAB’s removal from the case.
On 17 October of the same year, following the High Court’s directive, the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification forming the task force. The committee was formed comprising of four senior members, with the PBI chief as convener.
