The delay in investigation into the murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi inside their flat in February 2012 has left journalists, human rights activists, and civil campaigners frustrated as the Rapid Action Battalion has failed to submit its reports despite 100 deadlines from the court over a decade.

On Monday, Md Rashidul Alam, a metropolitan magistrate court judge in Dhaka, extended until September 11 the deadline for submitting the probe report into the murder.

With this, the deadline for submission of the probe report in the case has been deferred 100 times.

Magistrate Rashidul Alam passed the order after the RAB additional superintendent of police, Khandaker Md Shafiqul Alam, also the investigation officer in the case, failed to submit his report and sought further time.

Journalists, human rights activists, and civil campaigners expressed their  frustrations over the poor state of the country’s criminal justice delivery system following the delay in the investigation.

Ain O Salish Kendra’s executive director, Mohammad Nur Khan, said that several agencies arrested and interrogated a number of people in this connection, creating a huge sensation in the media, but at the end they failed to complete the investigation.

 ‘I would say they [investigators] have failed to show their utmost sincerity in the case,’ he said.

Farida Yasmin, the president of the Jatiya Press Club, expressed her frustration at the delay in the investigation. She noted that a couple of home ministers had been changed, but there had been no change in the investigation.

Sagar, news editor of private television channel Maasranga, and his wife Runi, a reporter of ATN Bangla, were stabbed to death in their rented apartment in Dhaka’s West Raja Bazar area in front of their minor son on February 11, 2012.

Nousher Ali Roman, brother of Runi, filed a case with the Sher-e-Banglanagar police station on the following day.

Police arrested the couple’s family friend Tanvir in connection with the murder on October 1, 2012. He secured bail in 2014.

Law enforcers have arrested eight people, including Tanvir, in connection with the murder.

The seven other suspects are Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Mia, Abu Syed, Mintu, alias Baggira Mintu, alias Masum Mintu, Quamrul Hasan, alias Arun, security guard Enam Ahmed, alias Humayun Kabir, and Palash Rudra Pal.

Mizanur Rahman, a former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, told New Age that investigators in the Sagar-Runi murder and college student Sohagi Jahan Tonu rape and murder cases were taking so much time in order to make people forget the incidents.

He said that the law enforcement agencies were only ‘serious’ about politically motivated cases, not those related to people.

The courts, which ‘disgustingly’ allow law enforcement agencies deadlines after the deadline, should also be made answerable, Mizanur said.

Supreme Court lawyer Asaduzzaman said that this case was a black spot in the country’s criminal justice delivery system. ‘It’s the biggest failure too,’ he added.

Iftekharuzzaman, the executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, told New Age that ‘The Sagar-Runi case is a perfect example of delayed justice transformed into denied justice. Irrespective of whether it is because of a lack of professional expertise or commitment to the rule of law, all those who are responsible for this unprecedented procrastination must be held accountable.’

‘Failure to do so will lead to impunity for the perpetrators of the brutal killing of this media couple and, at the same time, embolden other forces against media freedom,’ he added.

RAB legal and media wing director Khandaker Al Moin stated in a text message that the battalion continued their investigation with the utmost sincerity and had collected evidence from 25 people, including suspects.

Supreme Court lawyer Syeda Rizwana Hasan said, ‘We are very frustrated and angered by the long delay in the submission of the probe report in the case.’

Rizwana said that investigating agencies frequently take time on the excuse of not finding evidence.

‘And, the authorities will also not take action for the failure,’ she said.

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists faction president Omar Faruque said that they had been demanding the completion of the investigation and trial into the case, and the home ministry had also assured them many times.

‘But,’ he said, ‘the case is still pending [investigation].’

Faruque said that action should be taken against the investigation officers for their failure to complete the probe in the case.

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists faction president M Abdullah said that the law enforcement agency was mocking the journalist community over the investigation.

‘We suspect influential quarters were involved with the murder, and thus the case did not see any progress even after investigators were given 100 deadlines,’ he said.