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Published : 04 Jun 2026, 01:07 PM
Swapna Akter, a suspect in the rape and murder case of 8-year-old Ramisa Akter in Dhaka’s Pallabi, has fallen ill inside the court lockup during a hearing.
Proceedings briefly stalled before arguments resumed later in the day.
On Thursday, Bench Assistant Pankaj Peter Gomez said the hearing scheduled at the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judges’ Court was delayed after she became unwell around the time of production from jail.
He added that arguments began around 11:45am.
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.
She 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.
Earlier, Public Prosecutor Omar Faruq Faruqi said arguments were scheduled for the day and a verdict date could be fixed if the hearing concluded.
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 Masrur Salekin ordered the case to proceed to trial after framing charges against Sohel and his wife Swapna on Monday.
