Fourteen years after the brutal killing of journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and Meherun Runi in their Dhaka home, the case remains unresolved, with no confirmed motive or identified perpetrators. The investigation report deadline has now been postponed 124 times, including 11 extensions during the interim government’s tenure, despite earlier hopes that a change in political leadership would lead to progress.
Family members say those hopes have faded. Sagar’s mother, Saleha Monir, expressed deep frustration that successive governments have failed to deliver justice, noting that she had expected renewed action during the interim administration led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus. She said that although the couple’s son Megh received a plot of land, this does not constitute justice for the murders.
Runi’s brother and case plaintiff, Nowsher Alam Roman, said many believe elements linked to the previous regime were involved but that the motive remains unclear. He acknowledged that expectations for accountability were low even under the interim government, though there had been hope the truth would at least be uncovered.
The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI), which is currently handling the case, says it is working to complete a thorough inquiry. A Dhaka court has issued a show-cause notice to the investigating officer for repeated delays and ordered an explanation in person. The next deadline for submitting the investigation report has been set for April 1.
Sagar Sarwar, news editor at Maasranga Television, and Meherun Runi, senior reporter at ATN Bangla, were murdered in their West Rajabazar residence on February 11, 2012. Several suspects have been named, some currently in custody and others on bail, but the case has yet to move toward trial.
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