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Published : 07 Jun 2026, 11:44 AM
A Dhaka tribunal has sentenced Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter to death for the rape and murder of 8-year-old Ramisa Akter.
In addition, Sohel has been fined Tk 500,000, while Swapna has been fined Tk 200,000.
The tribunal ordered the sale of their movable and immovable assets to collect the fines and pay them to the victim’s family.
Dhaka Metropolitan Child Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Masrur Salekin delivered the verdict in the sensational case around 11:45am on Sunday.
Both Sohel and Swapna were in the dock when the verdict was delivered.
Ramisa’s father, Abdul Hannan Molla, has expressed his satisfaction with the court’s decision, as did the rest of the family and the plaintiff’s lawyers.
“Alhamdulillah, I am 100 percent happy with the verdict. This verdict has given me what I expected and hoped for,” Hannan 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.”
He also expressed gratitude to the judge, police administration, journalists and people of Bangladesh for standing by his family during the crisis, while reiterating his demand for the rapid implementation of the death penalty.
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, "[Sohel] confessed to his guilt and gave a statement. He himself pleaded guilty in his own defence. The verdict has sentenced Sohel and Swapna to death.
“We have received justice. The criminal has received justice for his crime. I am satisfied.”
Asked whether the verdict will be appealed, he said: “The state appointed me as the defence lawyer. If the state wills it, I will appeal.”
Attorney General Ruhul Quddus Kazal said, “I think this is the fastest a case like this has been tried, the fastest an investigation has been completed and a verdict delivered.”
“I think it should be remembered that the trial was completed in less time than the trial of the murder cases of Asiya and Sravan in Magura during the interim government. This is a milestone in the judicial process.”
Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman is hopeful that the death reference and appeal of the convicts will be resolved within three months.
After the verdict, he said at the Secretariat: “My expectation is that it will be possible to complete the process for executing the final verdict in this case within the next three months -- if the relevant bench of the Supreme Court prioritises it and holds the hearings. I hope the Supreme Court will do so.
“Because the government did not fast-track this case alone; if the chief justice had not cancelled the leave of the honorable judges until Jun 15, then it would not have been possible for the government to fast-track it.”
The law minister said, “If the file comes to us within a week, we can issue it as a paper book in the next week. If we can finish the paper book within 15 days, then if it is heard under special consideration and if the hearing is held within two weeks, then it will go to the Appellate Division.
“I think it is possible to do this within three months. However, we will not be able to fast-track every case, so we are trying to find a way to do it quickly.”
He highlighted that this is the fastest a case of its kind had completed its trial.
The case has reached the judgment stage in just five working days, setting what judicial officials say is a record.
However, there is a precedent for previously resolving drug cases in three working days. Last year, the trial of the rape and murder case of a child, identified only as Asiya, in Magura was completed in 14 working days.
The accused in that case also received the death penalty.
Following the verdict, the court issued sentence warrants for the two convicts and ordered them to be taken to jail.
Security has been reinforced around the court premises ahead of the ruling.
How the Case Proceeded
On May 19, police recovered Ramisa’s body from a flat in Pallabi.
Investigators said the child was killed that morning, after which the prime suspect Sohel allegedly dismembered the body before fleeing.
Police apprehended Sohel’s wife Swapna from the flat, while he was detained from Narayanganj’s Fatullah the same evening.
He later confessed in court, according to police records.
Hannan filed a case with Pallabi Police on the day of the incident.
The investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Ohiduzzaman of Pallabi Police, submitted the chargesheet against the suspects on May 24, after which the case was transferred to the tribunal for trial.
After Eid holidays, Judge Salekin ordered the case to proceed to trial after framing charges against Sohel and Swapna on Jun 1.
The next day, the witness deposition was completed. The court heard statements from 16 of 17 state witnesses, including Ramisa’s family members, neighbours, and police officers.
During the defence hearing on Jun 3, Swapna pleaded not guilty and sought justice.
Sohel apologised and told the judge, “Sir, I’m innocent. I want an acquittal. Please forgive me.”
After the defence hearing, the date for the presentation of arguments was set for Jun 4, when Public Prosecutor Dulu claimed that the charges against the suspects were substantiated and sought the maximum sentence.
State-appointed defence lawyer Musa Kalimuliah pleaded for a “lighter” sentence for his clients.
After the arguments on Thursday, the court set the date for the verdict on Sunday.
The brutal incident of rape and murder sparked outrage across the country.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visited the victim's family members and expressed his condolences. He assured that the trial would be completed quickly.
On Sunday at 11am, Judge Salekin began delivering the verdict.
The two accused in the case had been produced in the court to hear the verdict.
Sub-Inspector Ripon Molla, officer in charge of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judges Court lock-up, said Swapna was brought to court from Kashimpur Jail around 8:25am and Sohel from Keraniganj Central Jail around 8:45am.
The arguments in the case were presented on Thursday. During the arguments, state prosecutor Azizur Rahman Dulu read out the statement given by Sohel.
It emerged that Swapna opened the door to the room that day, giving Sohel a chance to escape.
On May 20, Sohel gave a confessional statement in the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Junaid.
He said, “My name is Sohel Rana. I live on the third floor of the building in that house.
“There are three rooms there. Three families live in three rooms. Everyone in the house goes to work by 6 am. I regularly do drugs.”
In his statement, Sohel said: “Yesterday (May 19) at 9:30am, I saw 8-year-old Ramisa from the house next door and called her. When she came to me, I took her to the bathroom. When she screamed, I covered her mouth.”
The suspect gave a horrific account of raping the child and dismembering parts of her body.
Sohel said, “Around 10:30 in the morning, during the search for Ramisa, her mother saw shoes in front of my house and called out. When she didn’t get a response, people came and knocked on my door. When I got scared, my wife told me to run away. “Without any other way, I cut the grill and ran outside. When the agitated people knocked on the door, my wife blocked the door and helped me escape. Later, my wife opened the door.”
