[7] Rumors have been circulating for a long time that the Awami League and India were involved in the BDR murders because they had secret information about them.

[8] The couple's murder received high-level political attention and widespread media coverage in Bangladesh, and attracted German interest as Sarowar had lived in Germany and had worked as a journalist for Deutsche Welle.

[18] He had previously worked for Deutsche Welle's Bangla service for three years as part of the German broadcaster's South Asia department in Bonn, Germany.

[31] The married Bangladeshi couple, Sagar and Runi, lived with their 5-year-old child on the fourth floor of a five-story building in the West Raja Bazar neighbourhood (mahallah) of Dhaka.

From information gathered from a security guard, police believe the couple was killed some time after Sarowar arrived home and before the dawn Fajr prayer, which occurs before sunrise.

Their five-year-old son woke up at around 7 a.m. and discovered his parents dead in a pool of blood and called Runi's mother sometime around 7:30 a.m. by a cell phone.

A kitchen window grill was cut and had an opening of approximately 1.8 feet, which Imam Hossain, deputy commissioner with the Tejgaon police, said would be too small for an adult to pass through.

Home Minister Sahara Khatun ordered the Bangladesh Police to arrest the murderers of Sagar and Runi within 48 hours.

[33] Another Home Minister – Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir, who was appointed in September 2012—said after a year had passed, "Journalists and common people destroyed all the important evidences from the spot before police could reach there.

[38] After two months and passing of deadlines issued by the Home Minister, justices ruled on a petition by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh and said the case had become stalled.

And the court also established a monitoring committee that was to be headed by a member of the police who achieved inspector general rank or higher and would be composed of journalists, lawyers, human rights activists, academicians and non-government organisations and other agencies.

[36] In late May 2013, Hasanul Haq Inu, information minister, told journalists the government was still analysing the DNA tests against the suspects and the investigation was proceeding according to law.

Runi's reporting involved corruption in Bangladesh's energy industry and Sarowar was working on violence and minority rights.

[58] The online magazine about free speech Sampsonia Way reported that a rumour in Dhaka about the motive was that the couple had sensitive information about land acquisition by a "powerful corporation".

[17][28] Mahfuzur Rahman, chairman of ATN Bangla where Runi worked, later publicly asserted that the murder motive involved an extramarital affair and at the same time took a case to court to stop journalists from protesting to push for charges to be filed.

[64] In observing the first anniversary of the murder, the International Federation of Journalists said that law enforcement had failed to "establish a motive".

Initial statements to the media were given by President Zillur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed of the Awami League party and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

[68] The crime scene was visited by a number of high-profile Bangladeshis active in politics:[3][67] Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who is a leader from the opposition BNP told reporters, "We've been saying repeatedly that the country is turning into a slaughter ground gradually.

[73] Journalists Jamal Uddin of Gramer Kagoj[74][75] and Talhad Ahmed Kabid of Dainik Narsingdi Bani were also killed in 2012.

[77] Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina criticised the news media for both interviewing the couple's son and for destroying evidence.

[87][88] In addition, the journalists organised panels discussion their professional perspective about the Sagar-Runi case and its handling by the police and government.

[90] In Germany, Bangladeshi expatriates, Germans and citizens from other European countries met in Frankfurt and Bonn protested the lack of results in the double murder investigation.

[57] Irina Bokova, director-general of UNESCO, said the murder of the couple was "is an intolerable attack on the profession and on the fundamental human right for freedom of expression.

"[82] Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said, "The killing of all the journalists, including Sagar-Runi, is disgraceful for democracy, and our duty is to remove it.

"[58] The IFJ-Asia Pacific, released another statement at the one-year mark: "We share the anguish of our Bangladeshi colleagues, at the slow pace of investigations and the failure to establish any manner of motive for this brutal double murder.

"[65] The Daily Star (Bangladesh) published an editorial summing up sentiment: "... today it is not just the families of Sagar and Runi but also people across the spectrum who remain skeptical about the authorities being able to actually take the matter to a definitive, credible conclusion.

"[95] In 2012, in an end-of-the-year, unsigned editorial, the Dhaka Courier wrote, "The gruesome murder of the journalist couple Sagar-Runi still remains unresolved and this will be taken to the coming year by the media with force.

"[96] Saleha Manir, who is Sagar Sarowar's mother, addressed journalists at a rally, "The government had declared a 48-hour ultimatum to arrest the murderers.

"[97][98] The following quotes were widely reported or the source of additional commentary after their expression: Home Minister Sahara Khatun told law enforcement to arrest the Sagar-Runi murderers within 48 hours.

[3][4][11][37][59][97][98] Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, a BNP leader and opponent of the ruling Awami League party, said, "... the country is turning into a slaughter ground gradually.