What does 'dhamachapa' mean, asks Sagar-Runi's son Megh

When journalist couple Sagar-Runi were brutally murdered at their Dhaka home, their lone child, Mahir Sarowar Megh, was only five years old and had little to no knowledge about justice. Now 16 years later, he is sceptical about the justice for the killing of his parents.

Nowadays he often asks, "What does 'dhamachapa' mean? What does it mean for the trial of my parents' murder case?"

Eleven years on since the journalist couple Sagar-Runi was killed, no significant progress has been made in the murder case yet.

Megh, who was in his room when his parents were killed in another room of the same house, is now 16 and continues to inquire about the murder of his parents, said his uncle Nowsher Alam Roman, also the brother of Runi.

"Whenever he [Megh] hears such words, he correlates the gruesome murder that he experienced 11 years ago." the uncle told The Business Standard.

"No one is here to reply to the questions of adolescent Megh," said Roman, also the plaintiff of the Sagar-Runi murder case.

Megh now keeps himself busy with engagement in sports, jersey design and some other activities. He will appear in the O-level exam soon.

Meanwhile, Runi's mother Nur Nahar Mirza passed away on 5 January this year after a long wait to see justice for her daughter and son-in-law's murder. "The journalist community has failed to boldly and unitedly press the demand for justice over the murder," Nowsher Alam Roman said.

The plaintiff who filed the double murder case with the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station in Dhaka also raised questions about RAB's willingness to solve the mystery of the case. "I doubt that there might be an instruction from top bodies of the government not to crack the mystery. I don't know why."

He said although they are losing hope of getting justice, they will continue the fight.

When contacted, RAB media wing director Khandaker Al-Moin told TBS that they have been conducting their investigation into the case with their expertise, professionalism and dedication. "We regularly file investigation updates to the court," he added.

The 11-year-long probe into the journalist couple murder case yielded nothing. According to the case documents, DNA and other medical examinations did not find anything concrete and conclusive. Hence, investigators are in the dark about the motives behind the murders.

"People have been losing their confidence in the investigation and judiciary system for such a prolonged delay in the sensational murder. It can cause more cynicism about the criminal justice system in the country," Professor Mizanur Rahman, former chairman of the National Human Right Commission, told TBS.

What authorities say

RAB Investigator and Additional Police Superintendent Khandaker Shafiqul Alam, who has been the seventh investigator for the case since July 2019, is yet to find anything concrete in his investigation. Hence, he sought further time in court.

"Any specific time cannot be promised to complete the investigation into the murder of the journalist couple," RAB Media Wing Director Khandaker Al-Moin told reporters last November.

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

After regular police investigation, the case was transferred to the RAB in April 2012.  For the last time on 4 January this year, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court extended the deadline for submitting the probe report of a case till 5 March. It was the 95th extension.

Following the murder, at least eight suspects — Sagar-Runi's family friends Tanvir Ahmed, Enam Ahmed alias Humayun Kabir, Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Mia, Mitu alias Bargira Mintu alias Masum Mintu, Kamrul Hasan Arun, Palash Rudra Paul and Abu Sayeed — were arrested and quizzed. Although Tanvir and Palash have secured bail, six others have been in jail for years.

Talking to reporters on Thursday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said, "It has been many years since the murder incident occurred. We also want to reveal the mystery.  We want to know why the murders of two promising journalists took place. I would instruct RAB DG [director general] to inform us about their investigation quickly."

Earlier, a RAB investigator said that buccal swabs and DNA samples of 25 people were sent to the Independent Forensic Service of the USA for examination, but the results failed to come up with anything concrete.