Verdict Due in Ramisa Murder Case

A verdict is set to be delivered on Sunday in the case concerning the brutal killing of eight-year-old Ramisa Akter in Pallabi, Dhaka. The judgment will be announced by Judge Masrur Saleqin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Child Violence Suppression Tribunal.

The prosecution has sought the maximum punishment, the death penalty, for both accused individuals—Sohel Rana and his wife, Swapna Akter. According to Special Public Prosecutor Azizur Rahman Dulu, the evidence and witness testimony presented before the tribunal were sufficient to prove the charges against the couple.

Speaking on Saturday, Dulu said that the prosecution had successfully established the allegations of murder against the accused and expected the tribunal, exercising its judicial discretion, to impose the highest penalty available under the law.

The defence, represented by state-appointed lawyer Musa Kalimullah, stated that it expected justice to be served through the judicial process.

Earlier, on Thursday, Judge Masrur Saleqin fixed 7 June (Sunday) for the delivery of the verdict after concluding the hearing of final arguments from both sides.

Background of the Case

According to the case documents, Ramisa was a second-grade student at Popular Model High School. On the morning of 19 May, at approximately 9:30 a.m., she left her home. Prosecutors allege that Swapna Akter lured the child into her room.

At around 10:30 a.m., Ramisa’s mother began searching for her in order to send her to school. During the search, she reportedly noticed the child’s shoes outside the accused couple’s room.

When repeated calls went unanswered, Ramisa’s parents, along with other residents of the building, forced open the door of the flat. Inside, they discovered the dismembered body of the child.

Police were subsequently informed through the national emergency service 999. Officers arrived at the scene and took Swapna Akter into custody. Later, Sohel Rana was arrested in front of Fatullah Police Station in Narayanganj with the assistance of information technology-based tracking.

Investigation and Legal Proceedings

On 20 May, Ramisa’s father, Abdul Hannan Molla, filed a case with Pallabi Police Station, naming Sohel Rana and Swapna Akter as the accused. Both were subsequently arrested.

The same day, the principal accused, Sohel Rana, reportedly gave a confessional statement before the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Junayed in Dhaka. The court also ordered the detention of Swapna Akter in jail.

Following the investigation, Sub-Inspector Ahiduzzaman of Pallabi Police Station, the investigating officer in the case, submitted a charge sheet against the two accused to the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Ashraful Haque on 24 May. On that same day, the Child Violence Suppression Tribunal formally accepted the charge sheet.

On 1 June, the tribunal framed charges against the accused, allowing the trial to proceed. During the proceedings, 16 of the 18 witnesses listed in the charge sheet testified before the tribunal.

Key Case Timeline

The case moved through investigation and trial proceedings within a relatively short period. The tribunal is now expected to determine whether the evidence presented by the prosecution is sufficient to convict the accused and, if so, what sentence should be imposed under the applicable law.