Friday
05 June, 2026
News Flash
News Flash
By Mahmudul Hasan Raju
DHAKA, June 05, 2026 (BSS) - The Dhaka Metropolitan Children's Violence Suppression Tribunal is set to deliver its judgment on Sunday (June 7) in the Ramisa rape and murder case, concluding a trial that appears set to become one of the fastest-disposed major rape-murder cases in the country's judicial history.
The tribunal framed charges against the two accused, Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter, on June 1 and completed legal arguments on June 4, paving the way for the verdict within a week of the indictment.
The swift progress of the trial came amid assurances from the government. On May 23, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman announced that the maximum punishment for Ramisa's killer would be ensured within one month, while Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman said the government was committed to ensuring a speedy trial in the case.
Ramisa, a Class-II student of Popular Model High School, was allegedly raped and beheaded by her neighbour, Sohel Rana, at his flat in the Millat Camp area of Pallabi on May 19. Her father filed the case the following day.
On May 23, the government appointed Advocate Azizur Rahman Dulu as special public prosecutor to conduct the trial on behalf of the state before the Dhaka Metropolitan Children's Violence Suppression Tribunal, a newly constituted court dealing exclusively with cases of violence against children.
Police submitted a charge sheet on May 24 against alleged rapist and killer Sohel Rana and his wife and alleged accomplice Swapna Akter.
On the same day, the government appointed Advocate Musa Kalimullah as state defence counsel to represent the accused before the tribunal.
The tribunal framed charges in the case on June 1, while it completed recording the depositions of prosecution witnesses (PWs) in a single day on June 2. Sixteen of the 18 listed PWs testified and were subsequently cross-examined by the defence on that day.
The witnesses included Ramisa's father and complainant Abdul Hannan Mollah, mother Pervin Akter, sister Raisa Akter, aunt Mahmuda Akter, uncles Mizanur Rahman Liton and Moniruzzaman Shahin, neighbours Monir Hossain, Zakirul Islam Raju and Sheikh Abu Sama, constables Roma Akter and Sharif Miah, sub-inspector Iqbal Hossain, who prepared the inquest report, Dr Nasad Jabin, who conducted the autopsy, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Zunayed, who recorded the confessional statement of alleged killer Sohel Rana, sub-inspector Rashedul Islam and investigation officer sub-inspector Wahiduzzaman.
State-appointed defence counsel Musa Kalimullah later cross-examined all the witnesses.
On June 3, the two accused, Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter, made their self-defence statements before the court, where Sohel Rana sought mercy, while Swapna Akter claimed complete innocence and prayed for justice.
The legal arguments in the case were held on June 4, when the prosecution sought the maximum punishment for both accused.
Earlier on November 24, 2020, Rangpur Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-3 delivered its judgment in a rape case, disposing of the trial within just two working days. The main accused, however, walked away free as the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.
Magura Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal on May 17, 2025, convicted and sentenced prime accused Hitu Sheikh to death in a sensational case lodged over the rape and subsequent murder of eight-year-old Asiya in the district. The tribunal disposed of the case within 20 working days.
The child was raped on March 6 by Hitu Sheikh, father-in-law of the victim's elder sister, while she was visiting their house. She succumbed to her injuries on March 13. Following the incident, the victim's mother filed the case with Magura Sadar Police Station on March 8 under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act.
After investigation, police submitted the charge sheet against four persons on April 13, and the court framed charges against them on April 23.
A fast-track court in Feni on October 24, 2019, convicted and sentenced all 16 accused to death and fined them Taka one lakh each in the case lodged over the murder of Sonagazi madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi.
The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) submitted the charge sheet on June 29. Feni Women and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal took it into cognizance on July 10 and framed charges on July 20. The court examined 87 witnesses on 62 hearing dates from June 27 to September 30. The case was disposed of in a little over two months.
