Ramisa murder verdict can be executed within 3 months

Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Anisul Huq, has stated that it will be possible to execute the verdict in the brutal rape and murder case of child Ramisa Akter from Pallabi within three months.

He made the remarks while speaking to media personnel on Sunday (June 7).

The Law Minister noted that the court delivered its verdict within just six working days, and if all subsequent legal procedures are completed smoothly, it will be possible to execute the judgment within three months.

He further added that although the law does not dictate a rigid timeframe, every step of the legal process was thoroughly followed during the trial. He expressed the government's satisfaction with the verdict and shared his expectation that it would be upheld by the higher court.

Regarding the execution of the sentence, the Law Minister cautioned that rushing the process without adhering to proper legal steps could raise questions. The defendants have the right to appeal to the higher court, where the matter will be handled in accordance with standard legal regulations.

He also informed that, as per legal obligations, the case documents will be forwarded to the High Court for Death Reference confirmation within seven days. Following that, the paper book will be prepared under the supervision of the Supreme Court, and a final decision will be reached after the scheduled hearings.

Read More: Ramisa Murder Case: Sohel and Swapna Sentenced to death

Timeline of the Trial
Earlier on Sunday, co-accused Swapna Akter was brought to the court premises at around 8:30 AM. Shortly after, at 8:50 AM, the prime accused Sohel Rana was brought to the court in a prison van. Both were kept in the court lockup prior to the proceedings.

The defense and the prosecution concluded their closing arguments on June 4, after which the court set June 7 as the date for the final verdict. The entire trial concluded in just four working days, prompting authorities to deploy additional police forces around the court premises to ensure tight security.

The procedural timeline of the swift trial was as follows:

June 1: Charges were formally framed against Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter.

June 2: The court completed recording the depositions of 16 out of the 18 listed witnesses.

June 3: During their self-defense statements, the accused pleaded not guilty.

June 7: The final verdict was announced.

The Judgment
Judge Masrur Salekin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Child Violence Prevention Tribunal sentenced both Sohel Rana and Swapna Akter to death. In addition to the capital punishment, Sohel was fined 500,000 BDT and Swapna was fined 200,000 BDT. The court ordered that their properties be sold to provide financial compensation to the victim's family.

According to the case file, on the morning of May 19, Ramisa Akter—a second-grade student at Popular Model High School—left her home. The prosecution established that Swapna Akter deceptively lured the child into their apartment, where her body was later recovered.