Sagar-Runi Murder Case Delayed for 120th Time

Image: Couple Journalist Sagar-Rumi

The investigation into the high-profile murder of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi has been postponed for an astonishing 120th time, highlighting a deeply troubling and prolonged failure of the judicial process. The latest development came from Dhaka's Metropolitan Magistrate Minhazur Rahman, who rescheduled the submission of the investigation report to September 14 after the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) again failed to meet its deadline. This recurring delay has transformed what should have been a swift quest for justice into a decade-long saga of unfulfilled promises and mounting public frustration.

The double murder, which took place on February 11, 2012, sent shockwaves through Bangladesh. Sagar, a news editor at Maasranga Television, and Runi, a senior reporter at ATN Bangla, were found brutally murdered in their West Rajabazar apartment. Their four-and-a-half-year-old son, Mahir Sarwar Megh, was asleep in the house at the time, a haunting detail that has kept the case in the public consciousness. Runi's brother, Nausher Alam, filed the initial murder case, setting in motion a long and winding investigation that has yielded no definitive answers.

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Initially handled by the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police and then the Detective Branch (DB), the investigation repeatedly stalled, prompting the High Court to hand the case over to the elite force, RAB, in 2012. Despite being equipped with advanced resources and expertise, RAB has been unable to crack the case, leading to this unprecedented number of delays. Each postponement not only prolongs the suffering of the victims' family but also erodes public faith in the country's law enforcement and judicial systems.

The list of accused includes Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Mia, Masum Mintu, Kamrul Islam alias Arun, Abu Sayeed, the security guards Palash Rudra Pal and Enayet Ahmed, and the couple's 'friend' Tanvir Rahman Khan. While Tanvir and Palash are currently out on bail, the others remain in custody, awaiting a trial that seems perpetually out of reach. The prolonged detention without a conclusive investigation report is a testament to the severe systemic challenges at play.

For over 12 years, journalists and human rights organizations have consistently demanded a fair and swift resolution. The continuous delays are seen not just as a failure to deliver justice for Sagar and Runi, but as a broader symbol of impunity for crimes against journalists. The nation watches, with bated breath, to see if the 121st deadline will finally bring some closure or if this tragic chapter will continue to be a stain on Bangladesh's legal history.