Maj Gen Ziaul, ex-DC Moshiur to be interrogated over Sagar-Runi murder

Highlights

• The journalist couple was brutally murdered at their rented flat in the city's West Rajabazar on 11 February 2012
• PBI has information that Ziaul and Moshiur were involved in the initial stage of the probe in the case, say sources
• A Dhaka court, on 8 January, allowed the PBI to interrogate the two former senior officials

Major General Ziaul Ahsan and former deputy commissioner (DC) of the detective branch of police's Lalbagh zone Moshiur Rahman will be interrogated in the sensational case lodged over the murders of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Nahar Runi.

The court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Imran Hossain on 8 January allowed the Police Bureau of Investigation's (PBI) plea to interrogate the two former senior officials of the law enforcement agencies in the case, court sources told BSS.

Azizul Haque, investigation officer (IO) PBI additional superintendent of police (ASP), filed the plea before the court, saying important information could be obtained if these two former security forces officials are interrogated in the case.

"The PBI has information that Ziaul and Moshiur were involved in the initial stage of the probe in the case. Ziaul Ahsan was the RAB additional director general [operation] and Moshiur was DC of DB police at the time," court sources said, quoting the IO's plea.

IO ASP Azizul Haque, however, refused to comment on the latest development in the case, saying the PBI is continuing its probe with the utmost importance.

The journalist couple was brutally murdered at their rented flat in the city's West Rajabazar on 11 February 2012, in presence of their son Mahir Sarwar Megh who was 4 years old at the time. 

Runi's brother Nawser Alam filed a murder case with the Sher-e-Banglanagar Police Station.

At that time, the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) was entrusted with the charge of the investigation into the murder case which was later transferred to the RAB. 

The elite crime-busting agency l failed to submit the investigation report in court after taking time 111 times in the last 12 years.

The High Court on 30 September 2024, ordered the formation of a high-power task force through the Ministry of Home Affairs to probe the case, removing RAB from the charge.

The government on 23 October 2024, formed a four-member task force to investigate the double murder. 

The task force was formed through a notification from the Ministry of Home Affairs. The notification asked the task force to submit its probe findings in six months. 

The PBI was named convener of the taskforce though the notice did not reveal the names of the other members.

The task force also includes one representative not below the rank of additional deputy inspector general, or DIG, of Police Headquarters, one representative of the Criminal Investigation Department, or CID, of the same rank and one representative of the rank of RAB director.

The High Court on 16 October 2024, released the full text of its 30 September order that had directed to shift the authority of probing the journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and Meherun Nahar Runi murder case from RAB to a high-powered task force to be formed by the Home Ministry.

The HC in its order said, "The delay in the Sagar-Runi murder case trial is a matter of regret not only for the family members of Sagar and Runi, but also for every citizen of the country. Hope, justice will be ensured this time. The six-month time given for the probe means six months," the court said.

Supreme Court lawyer Manzil Murshid had moved the plea in this regard before the court. At the same time, Additional Attorney Generals Arshadur Rauf and Aneek Rushd Haque and Deputy Attorney General Redwan Ahmed argued for the state. Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir stood for the plaintiff.