Sagar-Runi Family Turns to Tribunal After 14 Years Without Justice
The family of slain journalist Mr. Sagar Sarowar has taken a decisive step by filing a formal written complaint with the International Crimes Tribunal, demanding long-overdue justice for the murders of the prominent journalist couple, Mr. Sagar Sarowar and Ms. Meherun Runi. Mr. Nausher Roman, the brother of victim Ms. Meherun Runi and the plaintiff in the case, submitted the complaint directly to the tribunal’s Chief Prosecutor, Mr. Aminul Islam, on Sunday morning. This fresh legal initiative comes in the wake of nearly a decade and a half of judicial stagnation, during which multiple law enforcement bodies have failed to bring any closure or accountability to the high-profile case.
The tragic incident dates back to the late night of February 11, 2012, when Maasranga Television News Editor Mr. Sagar Sarowar and ATN Bangla Senior Reporter Ms. Meherun Runi were brutally murdered inside their rented apartment located in West Rajabazar, Dhaka. Case documents indicate that the killings occurred during the early hours, specifically between 2:00 AM and 7:00 AM. More than fourteen years after the gruesome crime shook the nation, the total absence of trial progress has generated profound anger, frustration, and disillusionment among the grieving relatives as well as the broader national and international journalistic communities.
The pursuit of truth has encountered a labyrinth of investigative dead ends through successive agencies, beginning with the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station before passing through the Detective Branch and the Rapid Action Battalion. Pursuant to a High Court directive, the case was eventually transferred to the Police Bureau of Investigation, yet a final report has still not been submitted. Most recently, the submission date for the investigation report was deferred for an astounding 129th time, pushing the deadline forward after yet another missed milestone on August 27, with a Dhaka court rescheduling the submission for September 30.
Judicial authorities have repeatedly expressed deep dissatisfaction over the protracted delays, prompting the High Court on September 30, 2024, to order the formation of a high-powered task force comprised of experienced officers from diverse law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Despite this intervention and the interrogation of more than 160 individuals over the years, the core mystery behind the killings remains completely unexposed. The family’s complaint emphasizes that keeping the case in perpetual investigative limbo effectively denies justice to the victims’ relatives and undermines public trust in the legal system’s capability to protect media professionals.
Amidst these ongoing struggles for accountability, renewed legal momentum has emerged with senior lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir joining the case as legal counsel in August of this year. Around the same period, Mr. Mahir, the only child of the slain couple, actively communicated with relevant authorities to push for accelerated progress and transparent pursuit of justice for his parents. By bringing the matter before the International Crimes Tribunal, the family hopes to break the historic cycle of bureaucratic inertia and finally secure a credible judicial conclusion to one of the most agonizing murder mysteries in modern history.
