A Dhaka court on Monday (Oct 1) appointed nine private lawyers for running the journalist couple Sagar-Runi murder case on behalf of the plaintiff at his own cost following a court order.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka Mahbubul Haque gave the permission upon a petition, filed by the plaintiff Nawser Ali Roman , brother of slain Runi.

The lawyers are: Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Shishir Manir, Advocate Mujahidul Islam, Advocate Mizanul Haque, Advocate Mostofa Jamal, Advocate Abu Russel, Advocate Mohiuddin, Advocate Abdullah Al Faruk, Advocate Iqbal Hossain and Advocate Mottakin Hossain.
     
In the petition, it was stated that the journalist couple was brutally murdered in their rented flat in the capital’s west Rajabazar area on February 11, 2012. But, the investigation report has not been submitted after a lapse of 12 years.

Runi’s brother Nawser Ali filed the murder case with Sher-e-Banglanagar Police Station on February 12, 2012.
 
Sher-e-Banglanagar thana police was first entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the investigation into the murder case which was later shifted to Detective Branch (DB) of police on February 16, 2012.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) got the charge of probing the case after two months, but the elite force failed to submit the investigation report before the court in 12 years after getting 111 times.

The High Court (HC) on Monday gave six more months to complete fresh investigation into the Sagar-Runi murder case upon a writ, saying, “This time, six months mean six months.”

The apex court also asked to shift the investigation to a high-powered committee to be formed by the Home Ministry from the RAB.

BDST: 2110 HRS, OCT 01, 2024
MSK