A Dhaka court on Thursday set September 30 as the new deadline for submitting the investigation report in the sensational murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi.

With the latest extension, the deadline for submitting the probe report has been extended for the 129th time.

The report was scheduled to be submitted today, but the investigation officer failed to file it.

Following a time petition from the prosecution, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam fixed September 30 for submission of the report.

Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi were brutally murdered at their rented flat in the city’s West Rajabazar area on February 11, 2012, in the presence of their four-year-old son, Mahir Sarwar Megh.

Runi’s brother, Nawser Alam, subsequently filed a case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station over the killings.

The Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) was initially assigned to investigate the case. The investigation was later handed over to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

Despite receiving 111 extensions over the past 12 years, RAB failed to submit the investigation report.

The High Court on September 30, 2024, directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to form a high-powered task force to investigate the case and removed RAB from the probe.

In compliance with the High Court order, the Home Ministry formed a four-member task force on October 23, 2024, to investigate the double murder and submit its findings within six months.

Later, on April 26, 2026, the High Court granted the task force another six months to complete the investigation and submit its report on the killings of the journalist couple.