Photo: Collected
A twin murder mystery that promised to be solved in 48 hours has not been solved even in 12 years on February 12 — another black day to be observed by the country’s journalist community.
Sagar Sarowar, a news editor at a private TV channel Maasranga, and Meherun Runi, a senior reporter at ATN Bangla, were murdered on 11 February 2012 in the capital's West Rajabazar. Hours after the journalist couple was killed, then home minister Sahara Khatun vowed to nab the killers in 48 hours.
Journalist leaders of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), National Press Club and Dhaka Reporters
Unity (DRU) locked horns with former Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir when he attempted to character-assassinate journalist Runi, blaming her for having extra-marital relations which led the murder by her paramour. The outraged journalists instantly protested and challenged the minister to show evidence of his unfounded statement.
A High Court judge ordered to transfer of the investigation of the twin murders from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to the anti-crime force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). The elite crime-fighter RAB has failed to submit the probe report; the court extended the deadline for the 108th time.
If Law Minister Anisul Haque can say that the journalist couple’s murder mystery may take even 50 years to solve, it demonstrates the poor accountability of the government. Such an illogical statement encourages law enforcement to put the investigation into cold storage.
It’s frustrating and disappointing for the families and media colleagues when law enforcement investigators sit on the murder case for more than a decade and remain silent.
One wonders when the talk of the town murder of journalists does not get justice for years, it cannot be fathomed what is happening with thousands of cases that do not have any social or political clouts. If the police fail to solve the murder mystery, the law enforcement must admit its failure. Twelve years on, the nation continues waiting for justice for the murder.
Messenger/Disha
