Editors’ Council calls for swift action in Sagar-Runi murder case

The Editors’ Council has urgently called for the completion of the trial process in the high-profile murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and Meherun Runi. The couple was brutally killed in their West Rajabazar apartment in Dhaka on 11 February 2012.

The court has extended the deadline for submitting the investigation report 111 times, prompting frustration among the journalism community. The Editors’ Council has demanded immediate action to advance the case, stressing the need for timely justice for the victims, in a press release signed by its President Mahfuz Anam and General Secretary Dewan Hanif Mahmud on Thursday.

On 19 August, the East West Media Group building in the Bashundhara residential area was attacked. The offices of the daily Kaler Kantho and Radio Capital, both owned by East West Media Group, were vandalized, and several vehicles parked in front of the building were damaged. The Editors’ Council has condemned the attack and called for accountability.

Additionally, on 21 August, former Ekattor Television news head Shakil Ahmed and former principal correspondent-presenter Farzana Rupa were detained at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. They were handed over to the detective police and later informed to be arrested in connection with a murder case. 

The Editors’ Council has expressed concern, stating that if Ahmed and Rupa have committed any crimes, proper legal procedures should be followed. The council has also emphasized the importance of maintaining professionalism in journalism and avoiding opportunistic and sycophantic practices.