It has been 11 years since the gruesome killings of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi. A decade after being tasked with the investigation into the murders, the Rapid Action Battalion has failed to make any meaningful headway in the case and appears no closer to a breakthrough.The agency has sought a deferral of the deadline to submit a probe report from the courts on 95 occasions. The lack of progress in the case has exasperated its plaintiff, Runi’s brother Nausher Roman. He believes that if the agency cannot crack the case, it should admit responsibility for its failure to the court and step aside.
But RAB officials maintain that they are continuing their efforts to get to the bottom of the incident.On the morning of Feb 12, 2012, Sagar, a news editor at Maasranga Television, and his wife Runi, a senior reporter for ATN Bangla, were found dead in the bedroom of their apartment in Dhaka’s Razabazar.Their only child Mahir Sarwar Megh was with them in the apartment. The autopsy report said the couple died of wounds inflicted by sharp weapons, possibly wielded by amateurs. Citing Megh, police later said there were two murderers.
The grisly murders sent shockwaves across the country. Runi’s brother subsequently started a case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station. Sahara Khatun, the then home minister, then vowed to catch the culprits within 48 hours.But even after all these years, the killers are yet to be brought to justice.The investigation of the killings was initially handed to the Detective Branch of police. But a court later transferred the case to the RAB after detectives failed to find any lead in two months.
The agency subsequently sent several objects from the crime scene, including clothes worn by the victims, to a lab in the United States in the hope of collecting DNA and other biometric evidence to help track down the killers. But it came to nothing.Runi’s mother, Nurunnahar Mirza, died last year while awaiting the trial of the couple’s killers. Sagar’s elderly mother, Saleha Munir, is also counting the days until justice is served.
Asked about the current status of the case, Roman said the RAB did not discuss the findings of the US lab test with him.He even doubts whether the investigation is actually in effect. “They [RAB officers] insisted that we file an application in court to transfer the investigation to another agency.”
However, Roman is far from convinced that the situation will change if another agency is put in charge of the investigation.”We think that they [the RAB] can do it if they want. The CID can, too. However, taking the matter elsewhere would mean facing more harassment.”If they [the RAB] can’t do it, they should admit it and say they’re sorry. Then the court may assign the task to someone else.”
All of Roman’s early optimism about a successful investigation by the RAB has now dissipated.“When [the RAB took over the investigation], we thought it was a good thing. But I’ve been given the runaround for many years now. We actually understand that nothing will happen. We wouldn’t care now even if the FBI came in.” But what is the main sticking point in the investigation? Is it a lack of capacity or a lack of goodwill on the RAB’s part? Or is it policy-related? Roman believes that a combination of these factors is to blame. “Maybe the RAB isn’t doing anything because the government doesn’t want it to.”
“If the case had been resolved, it would have been a huge milestone for the RAB.” On whether he had been in touch with the case’s investigation officer over the past year, Roman said, “The IO called and we exchanged pleasantries. Then he said they were trying [to solve the case].” “After the murders, the home minister came and said that the matter would be resolved within 48 hours. The next day the IGP said that they were making appreciable progress. He didn’t say these things for no reason.”
Ten months after the incident, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, who became the home minister after Sahara, claimed that eight suspects had been identified.However, five of them had actually been arrested over the murder of Narayan Chandra Datta Nitai, a doctor at the Chest Hospital in Mohakhali. A few others were arrested along with them. At the time, the authorities said the same method was used to kill Sagar, Runi and Dr Nitai. But there was no further progress in the investigation.
Asked if the murders could have been the result of a robbery gone wrong, Roman said, “Whatever it is, give us proof. It could have been a trivial matter — a thief may well have done it.” “But the thief didn’t take [Runi’s] expensive phone, he took Sagar Bhai’s cheap phone. A laptop was taken but not an expensive camera. And no other room was touched. A thief or a robber would have ransacked the whole house. DSLR cameras were very expensive back then. And the way Sagar’s hands were tied with ropes indicated that it was the work of a highly trained person.”
Despite all the setbacks, Roman says that he has not given up hope. “I will try until the end. The fact that I’m still trying gives me some peace of mind.” The couple’s son, Megh, will turn 17 soon. Aside from his studies, he enjoys playing cricket. But even at his tender age, he often has to shoulder the burden of dealing with the media, the police, and the courts.On Megh’s feelings about the investigation, Roman said, “I think he is sometimes bothered by it.” After the high-profile killings. various journalists’ groups held programmes to demand justice. But as the case remains unresolved, leaders of the Dhaka Reporters Unity went to the Ministry of Home Affairs and handed a memorandum to the minister on Thursday.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said the letter would be passed on to the head of the RAB and assured that he would direct the agency to act swiftly.Commander Khandaker Al Moin, the RAB’s spokesperson, later said the agency is conducting a “thorough” investigation. However, he did not provide any further details about the case. “We still don’t have enough information to submit an investigation report or chargesheet. We are regularly providing reports to the court.”
