Dhaka: Supreme Court lawyers have termed the swift disposal of the child Ramisa murder case and the speedy delivery of the verdict as a positive development, expressing hope that such exemplary judgments would continue to ensure justice and help curb violent crime. Reacting to the verdict, Supreme Court Bar Association President Barrister A M Mahbub Uddin Khokon said the trial was completed within a very short time and the accused were sentenced to death.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the judgment will now have to be sent to the High Court Division for death reference confirmation. After completing all legal formalities, the verdict should be executed. Khokon emphasized that exemplary punishment is essential to prevent the spread of crime in society. He further stated that not only in this case, but in other brutal incidents as well, charge sheets should be submitted quickly and trials should be completed without unnecessary delay.
Supreme Court Senior Advocate Salauddin Dolon remarked that he viewed the verdict positively and believed no one could claim that the judicial process had been rushed at the expense of legal rights. Dolon expressed full support for speedy trials in cases involving heinous crimes such as the rape and murder of children, emphasizing that if justice is delayed for years, the impact and effectiveness of that justice diminish significantly.
Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Sabrina Zerin described the verdict as exemplary, noting that the trial had been completed rapidly while following all legal procedures. She highlighted that the judgment demonstrated the possibility of conducting a speedy trial while strictly adhering to the law, calling it a landmark example. Zerin expressed hope that if such prompt trials continue, criminal tendencies in society will decline.
Earlier today, Judge Masrur Salekin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Children Violence Suppression Tribunal sentenced accused Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter to death for the rape and brutal murder of eight-year-old Ramisa in the capital’s Pallabi area. The court also fined Sohel Rana Taka 500,000 and Swapna Akter Taka 200,000 in addition to the death sentences.
Ramisa’s dismembered body was recovered from a flat in Pallabi on May 19 last year. Before the recovery, Sohel Rana, a resident of the apartment, escaped by breaking the grill of a bathroom window. His wife was detained from the flat, while Sohel was later arrested from Narayanganj’s Fatullah area on the same evening. The victim’s father subsequently filed a case with Pallabi Police Station. On May 20, both accused gave confessional statements before the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Junaid in Dhaka.
The tribunal framed charges against them on June 1 and ordered the trial to begin. Following charge framing, witness testimonies, defense statements, and closing arguments, the court fixed June 4 for the verdict and subsequently delivered the judgment.