Dhaka, Oct 24 (V7N) — The High Court has granted the government’s task force an additional six months to complete the long-delayed investigation into the murders of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi, warning that this will be the final extension.

The order came on Thursday from a High Court bench comprising Justice Fatema Nazib and Justice Fatema Anwar, following a petition by the state seeking more time to submit the probe report. The court directed that the investigation report must be filed within the next six months without fail.

During the hearing, lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir appeared for the complainant, while senior lawyer Manzil Morshed represented the petitioner. Additional Attorney General Barrister Arshadur Rauf represented the state.

The case, which has remained unresolved for over a decade, saw a major shift last year when the High Court, on September 30, 2024, ordered that the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) be removed from the investigation. Instead, the court instructed the formation of a high-level task force under the Home Ministry, composed of experienced members from various agencies, and directed that the probe report be submitted by April 6, 2025.

At Thursday’s hearing, Shishir Monir reminded the court that the task force had already been granted an extension in April but failed to make visible progress. “Six months have passed since the last order, and still there is no substantial update. The people are frustrated, and so are we,” he said.

Responding to the court’s query, Additional Attorney General Arshadur Rauf confirmed that the high-powered task force had been formed and was actively working on the case. However, he acknowledged that due to the age and complexity of the case, progress had been slow.

Petitioner’s counsel Manzil Morshed stated, “Although the court had earlier directed that the report be submitted within six months, no affidavit or written update has been received. The nation deserves to know what progress, if any, has been made.”

The court expressed frustration over the repeated delays and said that the task force must ensure that the investigation reaches a conclusive stage within the given time frame.

The Sagar-Runi murder case remains one of Bangladesh’s most high-profile unsolved criminal cases. The journalist couple was brutally killed at their West Rajabazar residence in Dhaka on February 11, 2012. Despite multiple agencies taking over the probe at different times, no final charge sheet has been submitted to date.

Legal experts have described the case as a test of accountability and transparency in the criminal justice system. The High Court’s latest directive aims to bring closure to a case that has remained unresolved for nearly 13 years, drawing widespread criticism and public outrage over the delay in justice.

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