Journalists defer agitation on Shahara's assurance

The home minister assures that killers of Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi will be arrested soon

bdnews24.com
Published : 7 April 2012, 07:14 AM
Updated : 7 April 2012, 07:14 AM
Dhaka, Apr 7 (bdnews24.com) – Following assurance by the home minister that killers of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi will be arrested soon, leaders of various journalists' bodies have decided to postpone their demonstration for a month.
Responding to an invitation for tea, journalist leaders met home minister Shahara Khatun on Saturday, a day before scribes across the country were scheduled to demonstrate demanding arrest of the killers.
"We've postponed Sunday's sit-in in front of the home ministry to May 5 after getting the minister's assurance," Ruhul Amin Gazi, president of a faction of Federal Union of Journalists (FUJ), told reporters after a meeting at the National Press Club that followed the tea.
"We'll hold the sit-in in front of the home ministry on May 6 if the killers of Sagar and Runi are not arrested within the given time, investigation into killing of other journalists are not held and orders to ensure journalists' safety while on duty are not issued," he added.
At the tea, Shahara told the journalist leaders that the murderers of Sagar and Runi will be arrested soon and all killing of journalists will be investigated.
She told a press briefing that she is going to order the police to launch investigations into killing of scribes.
She said order to ensure safety of journalists while on duty will also be issued soon.
A 12-strong delegation of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), National Press Club and Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) turned up for the tea.
About the investigation into the murder of Sagar-Runi, the home minister said, "The investigation is underway. It will be possible to arrest the killers soon."
On Feb 11, Maasranga Television news editor Sagar Sarowar and his wife, ATN Bangla senior reporter Meherun Nahar Runi, were found killed at their rented flat in the city's west Rajabazar area.
Nearly two months have passed after the killing, but police are yet to arrest anyone or name any suspect in the case.
However, Shahara on Tuesday told reporters, "Please wait and see... They will definitely be arrested."
Meanwhile, family of the deceased journalist have complained that police have stopped communicating with them.
Runi's brother Nawsher Roman said on Friday that two members of the Detective Branch of police came to his residence on Mar 10. "None came after that."
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