THIS is disappointing that investigating agencies have failed for more than 13 years to submit the report on the murders of the journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and Meherun Runi. Although the government has repeatedly promised an early dispensation of justice, the investigation of the case remains shrouded in uncertainty. The deadline for investigation report submission has now been extended 120 times. The Dhaka metropolitan magistrate鈥檚 court once again on August 11 deferred the date, posting the next deadline for September 14. After the murder of the couple in their flat in Dhaka on February 11, 2012, the case was initially handled by the police, the Detective Branch and the Rapid Action Battalion before being transferred to the Police Bureau of Investigation on November 4, 2024, in line with a High Court order. Such a failure by multiple agencies sends out the troubling signal that they are either incompetent or indifferent. Given their proven ability to resolve many other cases swiftly, rights activists, journalists and the victim families allege that the delay is not merely a result of inefficiency, but an attempt to shield vested interests.
In the immediate aftermath of the murder, the authorities assured the public that the perpetrators would be apprehended in 48 hours. Yet, more than 13 years on, there has been no tangible progress. The authorities need to recognise that such a delay constitutes an affront to the grieving families and the journalist community, both of whom have grown weary of demanding justice. While the families and journalist groups have repeatedly described the investigation as an 鈥榚yewash鈥�, the agency鈥檚 responses remain formulaic and vague, fuelling speculations that the delay is either the result of structural weaknesses of the investigation process or a deliberate attempt to protect powerful individuals. The delay not only denies justice but also deepens the anguish of both victim families and the accused. What is more disheartening is that with the presence of the law adviser, who was once critical of the delay in investigation, in the cabinet, the government appears unable or unwilling to ensure progress. A number of journalists have, rather, been accused in false murder cases while the journalist couple murder case remains unresolved.
The government should place special efforts in resolving the case. The agency should be directed to take all necessary steps to complete the investigation and submit the report without further delay. The court, which has expressed its disappointment about the lack of progress, should also see whether the agency鈥檚 inaction stems from inefficiency or indifference and hold to account all responsible for this unprecedented procrastination.
