The High Court on Monday ordered the formation of a high-level task force to investigate the murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi that remained unsolved for 12 years.

The court directed the home ministry to execute the decision after removing the Rapid Action Battalion from the investigation.

The High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Muhammad Mahbub Ul Islam passed the order following a petition filed on behalf of the home ministry.

Deputy attorney general Barrister Redwan Ahmed confirmed the details of the order.

Earlier, on Sunday, advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir was appointed as the new lawyer for the case.

The plaintiff, Nowsher Roman, Runi’s brother, said that Mohammad Shishir Monir will now lead the legal battle to uncover the mystery behind the Sagar-Runi murder.

Advocate Shishir Monir said, ‘We will begin work to solve the mystery behind the murder. As part of this, we will soon hold a meeting with the investigation officers, and we will also fight the legal battle in both the lower and higher courts.’

The submission deadline of investigation report in the Sagar-Runi murder case has seen extended 113 times with the next hearing date scheduled for October 15.

On the night of February 11, 2012, Sagar Sarowar, news editor at Maasranga Television, and Meherun Runi, senior reporter at ATN Bangla, were brutally murdered at their rented apartment in West Rajabazar, Dhaka. Their only son, Mahir Sarowar Megh (then 5 years old), was present at the house at the time of the killings.

Runi’s brother, Nowsher Ali Roman, filed a murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station.

Initially, the case was assigned to Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station for investigation. Three days later, it was handed over to the Detective Branch of police. After DB failed to make any progress, the case was transferred to RAB on April 18, 2012.

Police arrested Tanvir Rahman in connection with the murder case on October 1, 2012. Later, he secured bail in 2014.

The seven other suspects are Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Mia, Abu Syed, Mintu alias Baggira Mintu alias Masum Mintu, Quamrul Hasan alias Arun, security guard Enam Ahmed alias Humayun Kabir and Palash Rudra Pal.

Out of the eight people arrested in connection with the case, two were granted bail, while the others are in jail.

RAB additional SP Khandaker Md Shafiqul Alam was appointed as the seventh investigation officer the case on July 7, 2019.