'How many more years will it take?': HC gives taskforce final 6 months to submit Sagar-Runi murder probe report

The High Court today (23 October) expressed deep frustration over the prolonged delay in completing the investigation into the 2012 murder of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi, granting the high-level taskforce a final six months to wrap up the probe.

A HC bench of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Fatema Anwar passed the order and asked the taskforce to submit the probe report within the extended period.

"Thirteen years have passed since the murder of Sagar and Runi, yet the investigation is still incomplete. How many more years will it take?" the court said while addressing the state and taskforce representatives.

The judges further said two people were murdered — but still no one knows who killed them. "The entire nation is waiting for justice."

Advocate Shishir Monir appeared for the victims' family, while Additional Attorney General Arshadur Rahman Rauf represented the state.

Addressing Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) officer Azizul Haque, who appeared on behalf of the taskforce, the court asked, "Tell us what percentage of the investigation has been completed."

"We cannot grant more time. This is the last six months," the HC bench warned.

Advocate Shishir Monir told the court that they face public pressure due to the prolonged delay adding, "Everyone asks when the investigation will be completed."

He said that the investigation should be done during this interim government. "Once a political government takes over after the elections in February, the probe may face further delay."

Additional Attorney General Rauf told the court that progress has been made and a progress report has already been submitted to the registrar's office.

"Hopefully, the investigation report can be submitted within the final time," he added.

Earlier on 30 September last year, the HC asked the government to form a high-level taskforce to probe the murder case and submit a report within six months.

Following the court order, the interim government formed a high-level task force on 23 October that year led by the chief of the PBI.

Sagar, a news editor at private television channel Maasranga TV, and Runi, a senior reporter at ATN Bangla, were murdered in their rented apartment in Dhaka's West Rajabazar on 11 February 2012.

Their four-and-a-half-year-old son Mahir Sarowar Megh was present in the house at the time of the murder.

Runi's brother, Naosher Alam, filed the murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station following the murders.

Initially, police handled the investigation, but after four days, it was transferred to the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

DB admitted its failure before the HC on 18 April 2012, after 62 days of investigation. The case was subsequently assigned to RAB.