Dhaka: A Dhaka court today set September 14 for filing the probe report in the murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi, extending the deadline for the 120th time. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Minhazul Islam passed the order, allowing a time plea of the prosecution as the investigation agency failed to submit the report today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the journalist couple was murdered at their rented flat in West Rajabazar on February 11, 2012, in the presence of their four-year-old son, Mahir Sarwar Megh. Runi’s brother, Nawser Alam, filed the case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station. Initially, the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) was in charge of the investigation, which was later transferred to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). However, RAB failed to submit the investigation report despite having taken time 111 times over the past 12 years.
On September 30, 2024, the High Court ordered the formation of a high-power task force through the Ministry of Home Affairs to probe the case, removing RAB from the charge. On October 23, 2024, the government formed a four-member task force through a Home Ministry notification to investigate the double murder and submit its findings within six months.
The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) was named the taskforce convener, though the notice did not disclose the names of the other members. The task force includes one representative not below the rank of Additional Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Headquarters, one representative of the same rank from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and one of the rank of RAB Director.