Hundreds of angry journalists yesterday staged a protest in the capital to demand justice after a journalistic couple were both found stabbed to death in their apartment on February 11.

The protesters gave the government an ultimatum that they would press for the home minister to quit unless the killer of Sagar Sarwar and Meherun Runi is arrested by the end of today.

The killings of Sarwar, a news editor at private TV channel Maasranga and his wife Runi, a senior reporter at ATN Bangla, another private TV channel, have shocked the nation.

Home Minister Sahara Khatun, who visited the scene of the crime, told reporters she had instructed law enforcement agencies to arrest whoever was responsible within 48 hours.

Journalists say the home minister has set her own deadline.

“We want to have faith in your words. But if you fail to keep your promise, we’ll take to the streets demanding your resignation,” said Abdul Jalil Bhuyian, secretary-general of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), said at the protest yesterday.

The inspector general of police is scheduled to hold a press conference later today to brief journalists on the investigation’s progress.

According to local rights body Odhikar at least 20 journalists were killed in Bangladesh from 2001-2011.