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Published : 04 Jun 2026, 03:04 PM
The verdict in the rape and murder case of 8-year-old Ramisa Akter is set for Jun 7.
Dhaka Metropolitan Child Violence Suppression Tribunal Judge Masrur Salekin set the date on Thursday after the prosecution and defence concluded their arguments in the case.
During the hearing, the state's lawyer claimed that the charges against the accused in the case -- Sohel Rana and his wife, Swapna Akter -- were "proven" and requested the maximum sentence for each of them.
On the other hand, the state-appointed lawyer for the accused moved the court for a "light sentence".
Swapna was brought to the court around 8am from Kashimpur Central Jail, while the other suspect, her husband Sohel Rana, was presented at 8:40am from Dhaka Central Jail, Keraniganj.
Both were kept in the court lockup before being brought before the dock.
Swapna reportedly fell ill and was given first aid there.
The suspects were brought to the courtroom after 11:30am, and arguments began at around 11:45am, with Special State Prosecutor Azizur Rahman Dulu starting the proceedings, demanding the death penalty for the accused.
Analysing the statements of the witnesses, he told the court: "The accused, Sohel Rana, took the child Ramisa to the bathroom and raped her and killed her by slitting her throat. Later, he escaped by cutting the bars on the window. The accused Swapna Akter assisted him in these acts.
"The statements and cross-examination of 16 witnesses in the trial have proven the crime against them. I am praying for the death penalty as the maximum punishment."
On the other hand, state-appointed lawyer Musa Kalimuliah, representing the suspects, said: "The chargesheet has been filed based on these statements. The knife used in the killing has not been forensically examined. A sentence cannot be handed down based on this.
"[Sohel] has given a statement admitting to his involvement. He was intoxicated at the time of the incident. In consideration of this, I plead for a sentence of life in prison."
The lawyer continued, "There is nothing in the testimony of 16 witnesses about [Swapna] except the allegation of hiding the body. She should be punished under Section 201 of the Penal Code."
Omar Faruq Faruqi, public prosecutor of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court, was present at the hearing.
During their pleas on Wednesday, Swapna claimed innocence and sought justice, while Sohel pleaded for acquittal.
“Sir, I am innocent. I seek acquittal. Please forgive me. Dollar was with me, but no one noticed him. Please catch him, sir. He is also guilty,” Sohel said.
Earlier, witness testimony in the case was completed on Tuesday, with 16 of 17 witnesses giving statements.
Charges were framed on Monday, formally starting the trial.
On May 19, police recovered the body of Ramisa from a flat in Block B of Section 11 in Pallabi. The incident sparked anger nationwide.
Investigators said the child was killed in the morning inside a neighbouring flat, after which the prime suspect Sohel allegedly dismembered the body before fleeing.
Police apprehended Swapna from the flat, while Sohel was later detained from Fatullah in Narayanganj the same evening.
He later confessed in court, according to police records.
The victim’s father filed a case at Pallabi Police Station on the day of the incident.
The investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Wahiduzzaman of Pallabi Police Station, submitted the chargesheet against the suspects on May 24, after which the case was transferred to the Dhaka Metropolitan Child Violence Suppression Tribunal.
After Eid holidays, Judge Salekin ordered the case to proceed to trial after framing charges against Sohel and his wife Swapna on Monday.
