Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Md Asaduzzaman has expressed hope that the death sentences in the Ramisa Akter rape and murder case will be upheld in the higher court.
He made the remarks on Sunday after the verdict while speaking to journalists at the Secretariat.
The court on Sunday sentenced main accused Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akhter to death for raping and killing eight-year-old Ramisa Akter in Mirpur’s Pallabi area of Dhaka.
The minister said all legal procedures were followed before the verdict.
He said, “All legal steps have been completed before delivering the verdict in the Ramisa rape and murder case. We are all satisfied with this judgment. I hope the verdict will be upheld in the higher court.”
On the execution of the verdict, the law minister said no judgment can be implemented without completing all legal stages. He added that if the accused appeal in the higher court, the government will follow legal procedures.
He also said the execution of the sentence could be completed within three months after all legal processes end.
He described the verdict as a milestone in the country’s judicial history given the severity of the crime.
The minister further said that sensitive cases involving child killings and violence, including those of Ramisa, Ashia, Rajon and Rakib, will now be expedited in the higher court.
Earlier in the morning, Judge Masrur Salekin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Child Violence Suppression Tribunal announced the verdict in the presence of the accused.
The court sentenced Sohel Rana and Swapna Akhter to death under Section 9(2) of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. It also fined Sohel Rana Tk5 lakh and Swapna Akhter Tk2 lakh.
The court ordered that the money be given to Ramisa’s legal heirs, her parents. If the convicts fail to pay, their movable and immovable properties will be auctioned to compensate the family.
While reading out the judgment, the judge observed that rape not only harms a family but also wounds society. He said the post-mortem report clearly proved that Ramisa was raped before being killed. The court also said Sohel Rana’s confessional statement was fully proven in court.
According to the case statement, Ramisa was a second-grade student at Popular Model High School. On 19 May, Swapna Akhter lured her into their room, where she was raped and murdered.
When the child went missing, her mother searched for her and found her shoes in front of the accused’s room. Neighbours broke down the door and recovered the mutilated body.
Police were alerted through the national emergency number 999. They arrested Swapna Akhter on the spot, while Sohel Rana was later arrested from Fatullah in Narayanganj.
Ramisa’s father filed the case at Pallabi Police Station on 20 May. Sohel Rana later gave a confessional statement before the court.
Police submitted the charge sheet on 24 May. Charges were framed on 1 June. The court recorded testimony from 16 of 18 witnesses before delivering the verdict.
