A Dhaka court has sentenced Sohel Rana and Swapna Khatun to death in the brutal rape and murder case of seven-year-old Ramisa in Pallabi, Dhaka.
Judge Masrur Saleqin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Tribunal for the Prevention of Violence Against Children delivered the verdict on Sunday (7 June). The court also imposed fines of Tk5 lakh on Sohel Rana and Tk2 lakh on Swapna Khatun, to be paid to the victim’s legal heirs.
The court ordered that if the accused fail to pay the fines, authorities will seize and sell their movable and immovable properties to recover the amount for the victim’s family.
According to case details, police recovered the dismembered body of the child from a residence in Pallabi on 19 May. Following the incident, Sohel Rana and his wife, who lived in the same apartment, were arrested.
The investigation was completed swiftly, and the charge sheet was submitted within five days by Sub-Inspector Ohiduzzaman Bhuiyan of Pallabi Police Station on 24 May. The case was then transferred to the Children’s Tribunal for trial.
After the Eid-ul-Azha holiday, charges were formally framed on 1 June, marking the beginning of the trial. Testimonies from 16 of 17 witnesses—including the victim’s family members—were completed on 2 June. The accused gave their statements on 3 June, followed by closing arguments on 4 June.
The verdict marks a swift conclusion to one of the most high-profile criminal cases in Dhaka in recent months.
