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Published : 21 May 2026, 09:58 PM
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has assured that the investigation into the brutal “rape and murder” of 7-year-old Ramisa Akter in Dhaka’s Pallabi will be wrapped up within the shortest possible time to submit a chargesheet to the court.
Salahuddin made the promise on Thursday afternoon during a media briefing on the law-and-order situation held at the conference room of the Ministry of Home Affairs at the Secretariat.
Addressing the murder case that has triggered widespread protests, Salahuddin said: "The prime suspect and his wife were arrested within 24 hours of the incident.”
“The prime suspect has already given a confessional statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. A fair investigation will be completed in the shortest possible timeframe to file the chargesheet," he said.
On Tuesday morning, police recovered Ramisa’s severely mutilated, decapitated body from a flat in Pallabi.
The primary suspect -- a neighbour named Sohel Rana -- was subsequently arrested.
Police said he confessed in court to raping and then murdering the child.
The home minister said several high-profile cases that had been left pending and outside the judicial process for years have been revived for investigation since the BNP government took charge.
Among these is the murder of Sohagi Jahan Tonu, a student of Comilla Victoria College, which occurred a decade ago.
"A suspect in the Tonu murder case has been arrested, and the DNA matching process is currently under way. Another suspect in the case has also been identified," Salahuddin said.
He also cited recent law-enforcing successes, saying that suspects involved in a gang rape in Cumilla, a young woman's rape in Bogura, multiple murders in Kapasia, and the killing of an expatriate in Dhaka's Manda were all caught immediately after the crimes.
Replying to questions from reporters on legal reforms to curb child abuse, the home minister noted that updating laws is a continuous process that must adapt to changing times, but cautioned against emotional legislative updates.
"It is not wise to hastily enact laws or form special courts out of emotional impulse to soothe temporary public anger," Salahuddin said.
"We must ensure that in the pursuit of speedy justice, no injustice takes place and stringent laws are not weaponised or misused."
