It’s been over fourteen years since journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi were brutally murdered in their Dhaka apartment. For a decade and a half, the case has remained one of Bangladesh’s most frustrating unsolved mysteries. But in recent days, new developments have cracked the door open just a little wider.
A Cultural Figure Enters the Frame
On August 30, 2026, International Crimes Tribunal Chief Prosecutor Md. Aminul Islam announced that investigators had found a connection between a cultural figure and the Sagar-Runi murders. The lead emerged while reviewing Call Detail Records (CDRs) during an investigation into another case. While he declined to reveal the person’s identity in the interest of the investigation, multiple reports have identified that cultural figure as Rokeya Prachi—a former Awami League lawmaker and actress.
The Two CDs and a Warning
Here’s where it gets particularly intriguing. According to investigation sources, just two days before the murders—on February 9, 2012—a military official instructed his assistant (a sergeant) to collect two CDs from Rokeya Prachi. The same day, that military official told the sergeant that something “big” was going to happen in the next two days and to stay prepared.
Two days later, Sagar and Runi were dead.
The timing alone raises uncomfortable questions. What was on those CDs? Investigators suspect they may have contained sensitive documentation related to the BDR massacre or government affairs. But so far, no one has confirmed their contents.
The Missing Devices
The case has always been haunted by what disappeared. After the murders, both of Sagar and Runi's laptops and Sagar's mobile phone went missing—and have never been recovered. Runi’s mobile phone and jewelry, however, were left untouched. That selective theft has long suggested the killers were after something specific: the information the couple had gathered.
What Was Runi Working On?
Before her death, Runi had visited the Bibiyana Gas Field in Habiganj and uncovered what was described as “important and sensational” information. She submitted video footage and reports to ATN Bangla—but they were never aired. Reports from the time claimed the channel’s owner scolded her for pursuing the story. Later, her documentation and laptop were taken.
There were also claims that Runi had prepared a sensitive report on alleged irregularities involving Summit Group and then-Minister Faruk Khan. That report, too, was never broadcast.
The Investigation So Far
The case has changed hands multiple times: from local police to the Detective Branch, then to RAB. In 2024, the High Court ordered the formation of a task force. Currently, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) is leading the probe.
But progress has been painfully slow. On August 27, 2026, a Dhaka court postponed the submission of the investigation report for the 129th time—setting a new deadline of September 30. The High Court had granted the task force another six months back in April 2026.
What Happens Next?
The family is now planning to file a formal complaint with the International Crimes Tribunal, hoping the new leads will finally yield justice. Sagar and Runi's son, Mahir Sarwar Megh, said he wants a proper trial—“not false or innocent people being implicated”.
Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam has made it clear, however, that the case will ultimately be tried in a regular sessions court, not the tribunal. The tribunal’s role, for now, is to share any verified information with the PBI.
Fourteen years. One hundred and twenty-nine delays. Two missing laptops. Two mysterious CDs. A cultural figure under surveillance. And a family still waiting for answers.
The pieces are scattered. Whether they finally come together remains to be seen.
Tags:
Politics