PM Tarique Rahman visits grieving family of ‘murdered’ 7-year-old Ramisa

He takes over the responsibility of the victim’s sister’s education and wellbeing

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has visited the residence of 7-year-old Ramisa Akter, who was brutally “raped and murdered” in Dhaka’s Pallabi, to console her grieving parents.

The prime minister’s motorcade arrived at the child’s residence at 9:52pm, where he spent 18 minutes with the bereaved family members, including the victim's elder sister Raisa Akter.

Ramisa’s father Abdul Hannan Mollah broke down in tears meeting Tarique.

Tarique consoled him and offered deep condolences to Ramisa’s mother, who sat weeping beside her surviving daughter.

Briefing reporters about the visit, Additional Press Secretary Atiqur Rahman Rumon said: “[The prime minister] visited Ramisa’s home to stand by her family.”

Ramisa’s father said they had lost their daughter to the unsafe and squalid conditions of the neighbourhood, and that he now wanted to move elsewhere to raise their elder daughter in safety.

The premier assured the family, saying: "I will personally oversee arrangements to ensure you can live in a safe and secure environment."

The prime minister handed over financial assistance to the victim's father.

He has taken over the entire responsibility for the education and future well-being of Raisa, his press wing said.

Accompanied by key cabinet members during the visit, the prime minister reiterated the government's zero-tolerance stance on violence against children.

"The home minister has confirmed that law-enforcing agencies will submit the chargesheet for this case in the fastest possible time and will extend all necessary cooperation to the judiciary to ensure a swift trial," Rumon said.

Ramisa, a grade 2 student at Mirpur Popular Model School, was found decapitated and severely mutilated on Tuesday morning inside a flat in Pallabi.

The police have already arrested the prime suspect, a neighbouring tenant named Sohel Rana, along with his wife.

According to law-enforcing officers, Rana has already confessed in court to raping and subsequently murdering the 7-year-old child.

As the prime minister met the family inside, a large crowd consisting of Ramisa's classmates and local residents gathered outside the strict security perimeter.

Holding signs and chanting slogans, the schoolchildren and neighbours demanded capital punishment for the perpetrator.