by Md. Burhanuddin
The journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and his wife Meherun Runi were brutally murdered 13 years ago in Bangladesh, yet justice remains elusive.
Journalist Sagar Sarwar and his wife Meherun Runi who were brutally murdered 13 years ago.
The investigation report for the case filed on February 11, 2012, has been delayed 117 times. The grieving family continues to seek justice in court. Sagar’s mother, ailing and heartbroken, awaits the trial of her son and daughter-in-law’s murderers. Their son Megh, who was just five at the time of the murder, is now eighteen and also yearns for justice for his parents. Fellow journalists and all professional journalist platforms and communities in Bangladesh demand swift justice. However, the lack of progress in the judicial process over the years has ignited widespread anger.
Everyone alleges that despite assurances of justice from the highest levels of the previous Awami League government, these promises never materialized. Relatives and journalists alike accuse influential circles close to the party, which was in power for four consecutive terms, of being involved in the incident, thereby stalling the judicial process for so many years.
However, after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government following student-public protests and the interim government taking charge, initial activity was observed regarding the journalist couple’s murder trial. The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has taken over the case from the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). While investigators have not yet announced any major breakthroughs, they are handling the case with importance. Several individuals have already been interrogated.
How the Journalist Couple Was Murdered
Sagar Sarwar was the news editor of Maasranga TV, and his wife Meherun Runi was a senior reporter at ATN Bangla. They were murdered in their rented apartment in West Rajabazar, Dhaka, in the early hours of February 11, 2012. Their only child, Mahir Sarwar Megh, who was just five years old, was present in the house at the time. Runi’s brother, Nausher Alam Roman, filed a double murder case at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station on February 12, 2012. To this day, the case remains unresolved. The investigators have changed multiple times, and the deadline for submitting the investigation report has been repeatedly postponed.
Case Transferred from DB-RAB to PBI
After the murder of Sagar-Runi, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station was initially given the responsibility of the investigation. Three days later, on February 16, 2012, the investigation was handed over to the Detective Branch (DB) of the police. The DB conducted the investigation until April 18 of the same year. The case was then transferred to the RAB in April 2012. RAB conducted the investigation until November 3, 2024. On November 4, the PBI took over the investigation at the order of the High Court. On October 23 last year, a four-member task force was formed to investigate the case, with the chief of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) as its convener. The investigating officer is PBI Additional Superintendent of Police Azizul Haque.
The task force was instructed to complete the investigation and submit a report to the High Court within six months, but that time has already passed.
Meanwhile, after taking over the investigation, the PBI applied to interrogate Major General (retd) Ziaul Ahsan, former Additional DIG Mashiur Rahman, and accused Humayun Kabir between January 8 and February 10 of this year. The court granted their application.
It is reported that the PBI has interrogated more than 50 individuals involved in the case.
Eight suspects were arrested following the murder: Kamrul Islam alias Arun, Abu Sayeed, Rafiqul Islam, Bokul Mia, Masum Mintu, Palash Rudra Pal, Anamul Haque alias Humayun Kabir, and Tanveer Rahman Khan. Tanveer and Palash are currently out of jail, while the others remain incarcerated.
Investigation Report Submission Date Postponed 118 Times
The investigation report for the journalist couple’s murder case was not submitted on its scheduled date in April. This marks the 118th time the submission date for the investigation report in this case has been postponed. Dhaka CMM Court Magistrate M.A. Azharul Islam set May 21 as the new date for submitting the report. However, once again, the investigators failed to submit the report.
What Lawyers Say
Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Abdullah Abu said: “The Sagar-Runi murder case is significant and it has been years without a report submission. There is much discussion around it. The case needs a quick resolution. Once we receive the report, we will aim to accelerate the trial.”
Dhaka Judge Court’s lawyer Ehsanul Haque Samaji said: “The law allows 120 working days for a case investigation but it is not mandatory to finish the case within this timeframe. That does not mean it will continue for years. The court should monitor the investigation’s progress more closely. It can call in the investigation officer to check if there is an unnecessary delay and take action if needed. The court can also set a new deadline for submitting the investigation report.”
Family Still Hopes for Justice
In the changed political circumstances of the country, the family members of Sagar-Runi are hopeful for justice. Sagar’s mother, Saleha Monir, said, “Since the Sheikh Hasina government is no longer in power, I hope to get justice for the murder during this government’s tenure. The culprits will be identified and brought to justice. I hope no innocent person is framed. I have appealed for justice to Professor Yunus, the chief advisor of the interim government.” Runi’s brother, Nausher Roman, stated, “PBI investigators have spoken to me. They have re-inspected the crime scene and spoken to many others. However, they have not informed us of any new progress in the investigation. Nevertheless, we are optimistic since a new investigation has begun.”
Sagar-Runi’s Colleagues Await Justice
Meanwhile, along with the family, Sagar-Runi’s journalist colleagues are also waiting for justice. They organize programs annually to commemorate the murder. This year, the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) also held a program. At the protest rally held on February 11, they warned of tougher action if the investigation report was not submitted quickly. The DRU also submitted a memorandum to the Home Affairs Advisor demanding justice for the murder of the journalist couple Sagar-Runi. At the protest rally, DRU President Abu Saleh Akon said, “We all want justice for the murder of Sagar-Runi. But in the last 13 years, there has been no justice for this murder. The Awami League government was fascist, and the proof of that is how they influenced this murder case in a different direction. Influential people were involved in this murder. We will form a struggle committee, take to the streets, and strongly join the movement for justice.” From that rally, journalists also demanded that the day of Sagar-Runi’s murder (February 11) be declared Journalists’ Protection Day.
About the Author:
Md. Burhanuddin is the Information, Technology and Training Secretary of the Dhaka Reporters Unity.
