THE latest explanation offered in the long-running investigation into the murders of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi is as shocking as unacceptable. The attorney general informed the victims’ family on June 3 that the investigators were facing difficulties in tracing several police, Rapid Action Battalion and other officials involved in initial stages of the investigation after the killings in February 2012. Such an explanation defies logic and raises serious concern about the commitment of the authorities to resolving one of the high-profile murder cases. Investigators are not anonymous individuals who disappear without a trace. They are government officials whose service records, posting, retirement and current whereabouts should be readily available. If the law enforcement agencies and government agencies are unable to locate their own former officers, it points to either an alarming level of administrative dysfunction or a lack of genuine effort; and, neither possibility is acceptable. After more than 14 years of the murders and 126 investigation report submission deadline extensions, the victim family and the public had every reason to expect substantive progress rather than yet another explanation for delay.
The case has already become a symbol of inordinate delay and institutional failure, reinforcing the perception that the investigation remains trapped in an endless cycle of excuses rather than moving towards accountability and justice. The murders shocked the nation and demanded an expeditious, professional and transparent investigation. Instead, the case has passed through various investigative bodies, each failing to produce a conclusive report despite repeated assurances. In 14 years, investigators have cited reasons such as missing evidence, the need for further forensic examination and procedural complications. Now, the inability to trace former investigators has been added to the list. The explanation is disquieting because it comes after the formation of a high-level task force that was expected to overcome past shortcomings and submit a conclusive investigation report. The explanation, therefore, risks being perceived as another ploy to prolong an investigation that has already stretched far beyond any reasonable time frame. Such perceptions are damaging not only to the credibility of the task force but also to the reputation of the justice system. Every new excuse deepens public scepticism and strengthens doubts about whether the truth will ever emerge and justice be delivered.
Investigators should, therefore, immediately clarify why former officials cannot be traced and what concrete steps are taken to overcome this obstacle. The investigation must also proceed within a clear time frame. The Sagar-Runi case cannot be allowed to drift indefinitely through procedural delays and administrative justifications. Allowing further avoidable delays would further erode public trust in the justice delivery system.
