Sagar-Runi murder: Court sets 27 Aug for probe report after 128th delay

The investigation report in the murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi has been deferred until 27 August, marking the 128th postponement in the submission of the report.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam set the new date after a hearing today (22 July) as the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) failed to submit the report, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Prosecution Division Sub-Inspector Mazharul Islam confirmed the development.

On 11 February 2012, Sagar Sarowar, news editor of Maasranga TV, and Meherun Runi, senior reporter at ATN Bangla, were murdered at their rented apartment in the capital's West Rajabazar. Their four-and-a-half-year-old son, Mahir Sarowar Megh, was present at the time.

Runi's brother, Nausher Alam Roman, filed a murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station.

The accused are Rafiqul Islam, Bokul Mia, Masum Mintoo, Kamrul Islam alias Arun, Abu Sayeed, the couple's two security guards at their house, Palash Rudra Pal and Enayet Ahmed, and their "friend" Tanvir Rahman Khan. Tanvir and Palash are currently on bail, while the others remain in jail.

The investigation was initially conducted by Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police before being transferred to the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police and later to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

On 30 September 2024, the High Court ordered that the investigation be taken away from RAB and handed to a high-powered task force to be formed through the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Following the directive, the government formed a four-member task force on 23 October 2024, with the chief of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) serving as its convener.