Sixth delay in Hadi murder probe; Sagar–Runi report deferred for 124th time

The investigation report for the high-profile murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi has been deferred for the 124th time. A Dhaka court today set 1 April as the new deadline after the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) failed to submit its findings once again.

In a separate development, the court also pushed back the investigation report for the murder of Sharif Osman Hadi, the spokesperson for Inqilab Mancha. This marks the 6th time the report has been delayed, with the next date set for 15 February.

Sagar-Runi: A Fourteen-Year Wait for Justice

Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam passed the order today after Additional Superintendent of Police Md Azizul Haque, the PBI investigation officer, failed to place the report. In a significant move, the court has directed the officer to appear in person on the next hearing date to explain why the deadline has been missed 124 times over the last 14 years.

• The Incident: Sagar Sarowar, news editor at Maasranga TV, and Meherun Runi, senior correspondent at ATN Bangla, were killed in February 2012.

• The Cycle of Delays: Since the murder, the investigation has passed through the hands of the local police, the Detective Branch (DB), and RAB. Currently, it is being handled by a high-powered PBI-led task force.

• Current Status: Out of the eight accused, most remain in custody or on bail, while the motive and masterminds remain officially under investigation.

Hadi Murder: Tensions Rise Ahead of Polls

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) also failed to submit its further investigation report on the murder of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent face of the July uprising. This 6th delay comes at a sensitive time, as the nation is just three days away from the 13th National Election.

• The Dispute: While the DB initially filed a charge sheet against 17 individuals, the plaintiff filed a "naraji" (no-confidence) petition, alleging that the actual masterminds were being shielded.

• Political Context: Hadi was set to contest the election as an independent candidate. His death, and the repeated delays in the CID probe, have sparked protests among Inqilab Mancha activists just days before the 12 February vote.

"The repeated delays in these sensitive cases, especially right before a national election, only deepen the sense of lawlessness. We demand the immediate identification of the real culprits." — Statement from Inqilab Mancha.

As the country enters the final 72-hour countdown to the polls, the judiciary's struggle to close these long-standing murder investigations continues to draw sharp criticism from civil society and human rights defenders.