FOURTEEN years have passed since journalists Sagar Sarwar Runi and Meherun Runi were murdered on February 11, 2012. Yet, the police investigation report is still pending. On February 9, the chief metropolitan magistrate’s court extended the report submission deadline for the 124th time and summoned the investigating officer to explain the delay to the court. Immediately after the installation of the interim government, in September 2024, the High Court, considering the failure of the Rapid Action Battalion under the fallen Awami League regime, directed the government to form a high-powered task force with experienced members of various agencies. In October 2024, in compliance with the court directive, the home affairs ministry formed the task force to investigate the case. The task force, led by the Police Bureau of Investigation, has, however, already missed deadlines, leaving the case’s fate hanging in uncertainty. On October 23, 2025, the investigating officer informed the High Court that another extension would be needed, without providing any concrete detail on the progress made. With the interim government preparing to leave office, there has been no meaningful advancement in ensuring justice for the journalist couple.
The way the task force justifies its failure to complete the investigation by the deadline is even more disappointing because it employed the same rhetoric to explain the delay that was used during the Awami League regime. The investigation changed hands three times — the Detective Branch stepped in after the police had worked for a couple of days, the Rapid Action Battalion took over in April 2012 and then the high-powered task force has investigated the case. In April 2025, a task force member told the High Court that they needed more time, as some of the important case documents were missing and that they had sent some evidence for test to the United States. In October 2025, they told the court that the officers investigating the case under the Awami League regime destroyed evidence and many people of interest do not live at the same address and more. Instead of providing the victim families with a clear and concrete update on the investigation, the blanket passing of blame on the past regime has created grounds for the public to be concerned.
There are other unresolved cases, including the murder of students, such as Tanvir Mohammad Twaki in Narayanganj or Shohagi Jahan Tanu, that faced similar delays allegedly because of the suspects’ possible link with the then ruling quarters. The political party that would form the government after the February 12 elections should, therefore, recognise that a continued delay will exasperate people’s hopes for justice and frustrate the possibility of restoring public confidence in the legal system.
