Sagar-Runi murder case report not submitted for 125th time

The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has again failed to submit the investigation report in the high-profile murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and Meherun Runi. The submission of the report has now been deferred for the 125th time.

The report was scheduled to be submitted before the Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Dhaka on Wednesday, April 1. However, investigation officer Additional Superintendent of Police Md Azizul Haque of PBI failed to submit the report within the stipulated time. The court subsequently set May 7 as the new date.

Prosecution Sub-Inspector Rafiqul Islam Russell confirmed the matter.

Sagar Sarwar, news editor of Maasranga Television, and Meherun Runi, senior reporter of ATN Bangla, were murdered in their own residence in the capital on February 11, 2012. Runi's brother, Nowsher Alam Roman, filed a murder case at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station.

The case was initially investigated by the local police, and later handed over to Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Police. When progress stalled, the case was transferred to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) following a High Court directive the same year.

On September 30 last year, the High Court ordered the formation of a high-powered task force comprising experienced officials to expedite the investigation, setting a six-month deadline. The court also removed RAB from the investigation.

On October 17, the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs formed a four-member task force headed by the chief of PBI, which is currently conducting the investigation.

The accused in the case include Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Mia, Masum Mintu, Kamrul Islam (aka Arun), Abu Saeed, security guard Palash Rudra Pal, Enayet Ahmed, and their associate Tanvir Rahman Khan. Among them, Tanvir is on bail, while Palash Rudra Pal has been released on bail and is now absconding. The other accused are in jail.

The victim's family and concerned parties have expressed frustration over the prolonged investigation.