More than 14 years after journalists Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi were murdered in their Dhaka apartment, investigators have reported potentially significant new leads involving former military officer Ziaul Ahsan and cultural personality Rokeya Prachy, prompting the High Court to seek a direct explanation from an International Crimes Tribunal prosecutor.
The information emerged during a separate investigation by the tribunal and includes digital materials reportedly recovered from Ziaul’s residence in Barisal.
Of approximately 300 discs obtained by investigators, only 90 have so far been examined, according to a progress report presented to the High Court on Tuesday.
The findings have not been independently verified by the task force investigating the double murder, and no conclusive evidence establishing either person’s involvement has been presented.
Nevertheless, the development has opened another line of inquiry in a case that has remained unresolved since February 2012 despite repeated investigations and more than 130 missed deadlines for submitting a report.
A High Court bench comprising Justice Sikdar Mahmudur Razi and Justice Fatema Anwar on Tuesday granted the task force another six months to complete its investigation, setting April 29, 2027, as the next deadline.
The court also directed International Crimes Tribunal prosecutor Tanvir Hasan Joha to appear on that date and explain the information uncovered during the separate investigation.
According to Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, the court will hear Joha in a closed-door session because of the sensitive nature of the information.
What the new evidence suggests
The latest development centres on information gathered by the International Crimes Tribunal’s prosecution while examining allegations involving Ziaul Ahsan, a former senior military intelligence officer.
The task force’s progress report refers to discussions with the tribunal’s Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam and prosecutor Tanvir Hasan Joha, during which preliminary information emerged concerning two individuals.
The report indicates that further investigation is necessary to establish whether the information has any connection to the murders and whether other people may have been involved.
The attorney general said approximately 300 discs had been recovered during a search linked to Ziaul’s residence in Barisal.
The materials are believed to contain different forms of digital information, potentially including audio and video recordings, conversations and other records.
Investigators have reviewed 90 discs, leaving another 210 to be examined.
What the discs contain, whether any of the material relates directly to Sagar and Runi’s deaths, and whether it can be used as evidence in the murder case have yet to be established.
The attorney general said the task force had formally requested relevant materials from the tribunal’s prosecution so that the investigating officer could examine them independently.
He stressed that information gathered during another investigation could not automatically be treated as established evidence in the Sagar-Runi case.
Earlier reporting had raised questions about possible connections involving Ziaul Ahsan and Rokeya Prachy. However, the precise nature of those connections remains under investigation.
Neither the emergence of their names nor the discovery of digital materials establishes criminal responsibility.
Court seeks answers directly from prosecutor
The High Court’s decision to hear Joha directly marks a significant step in assessing the new information.
According to the attorney general, the court wants to understand what was discovered, how the information was obtained and its possible relevance to the murder investigation.
The hearing will take place behind closed doors, rather than in open court.
The court did not separately summon the task force chief, with the attorney general saying the official regularly attends hearings in the case.
Lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir, representing the complainant’s family, said the state had sought another year to complete the investigation.
The court instead granted six months.
He questioned why examining the remaining discs should require such a lengthy extension and urged the authorities to complete the investigation without further delay.
The task force must now verify the material obtained from the tribunal and determine whether it provides credible evidence capable of advancing the murder investigation.
Fourteen years without answers
Sagar Sarowar, news editor at Maasranga Television, and his wife Meherun Runi, a senior reporter at ATN Bangla, were murdered at their rented apartment in West Rajabazar on February 11, 2012.
Their young son, Mahir Sarowar Megh, was at home at the time.
Runi’s brother, Nowsher Alam Roman, filed a murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station the following day.
The investigation was initially handled by police before being transferred to the Detective Branch and later to the Rapid Action Battalion.
RAB investigated the case for more than 12 years without submitting a final report.
On September 30, 2024, the High Court removed RAB from the investigation and ordered the formation of a high-powered task force under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The government subsequently formed a four-member team headed by the chief of the Police Bureau of Investigation, with representatives from other law enforcement agencies.
Despite repeated extensions, the task force has yet to submit a conclusive report.
A Dhaka court deferred the investigation report for the 130th time on September 30 this year, setting November 5 as the next date for submission in the criminal proceedings.
The High Court’s latest order gives investigators another six months to examine the new information and report their findings.