Sohel prays, Swapna weeps silently during verdict in Ramisa rape, murder case

The accused were brought to court wearing helmets and bullet-proof jackets

After a tribunal handed down death penalties to a couple for the rape and murder of 8-year-old Ramisa Akter in Dhaka’s Pallabi, lawyers and others present in the court expressed their satisfaction that justice was done.

The death-row convicts are Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter, who had lived next door to the young girl, and were brought to the dock for the verdict on Sunday.

As the verdict was read out by Dhaka Metropolitan Child Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Masrur Salekin, Sohel was seen praying, while Swapna shed silent tears.

Before the verdict was announced, Swapna was produced in court from Kashimpur Jail at 8:25am and Sohel from Keraniganj Central Jail at 8:45am. They were kept in the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court's jail.

Around 10:45am, Sohel was first taken to the courtroom amid tight security. Swapna was also taken to the courtroom about 10 minutes later. They had helmets on their heads and bulletproof jackets on their bodies.

Once there, Sohel continued to pray while Swapna’s silence was interrupted by sobs.

Judge Salekin arrived in the courtroom at 11am and started reading out the verdict.

The judge presented the summary of the verdict, the accused’s confessional statement, and testimonies before announcing death sentences for both of the accused.

Sohel seemed calm after the verdict was announced, but Swapna continued to cry.

The victim’s family, as well as the defence, have expressed their contentment with the verdict.

“Alhamdulillah, I am 100 percent happy with the verdict. This verdict has given me what I expected and hoped for,” Ramisa’s father Abdul Hannan Molla said.

“In Sha Allah, I am fully hopeful the verdict will be executed soon. By the grace of Allah and within the timeframe given by the prime minister, we have received the justice we wanted.”

Azizur Rahman Dulu, appointed as a special prosecutor for the case, said: "Ramisa's father has received justice, we are satisfied.”

State-appointed defence lawyer Musa Kalimuliah also expressed satisfaction with the verdict.

He said, “The accused Sohel Rana confessed to the crime and gave a statement. He himself pleaded guilty during the defence hearing. The verdict has sentenced Sohel and Swapna to death.”

“We received justice. The criminal got the punishment for his crime. I am satisfied.”