Charge sheet in Ramisa murder case to be filed quickly: Home Minister

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said law enforcement agencies will complete the investigation into the brutal murder of schoolgirl Ramisa as quickly as possible and submit the charge sheet without delay.

Speaking at a press briefing at the Secretariat on Thursday (May 21), the minister said police had been instructed to expedite the investigation to ensure swift justice in the high-profile case that has sparked nationwide outrage.

“We expect the investigation to be completed in the shortest possible time. After the charge sheet is submitted, the judicial process will proceed, and we hope exemplary punishment can be ensured within a reasonable timeframe,” he said.

The minister also said security forces are continuing nationwide drives against professional criminals and organised offenders who have long evaded arrest.

The assurance comes amid growing public anger and concern over the killing of Ramisa, a second-grade student in Dhaka’s Pallabi area.

Meanwhile, the prime accused, Sohel Rana, gave a confessional statement before a Dhaka court on Wednesday under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Metropolitan Magistrate Aminul Islam Junaid recorded the statement before ordering him to be sent to jail.

According to court sources, Sohel confessed that his wife, Swapna Akter, allegedly lured the child into their apartment on Tuesday morning. He claimed the child was later sexually assaulted in the bathroom and eventually lost consciousness.

The accused further stated that when Ramisa’s mother began searching for her daughter and knocked on their door, he decided to kill the child in an attempt to conceal the crime. Police said the body was later dismembered and different body parts were hidden inside the flat.

Investigators also recovered multiple pieces of evidence from the bathroom and other rooms of the apartment.

Police said Sohel fled the scene by cutting through a window grill after the incident. His wife was initially detained, while Sohel was later arrested from Narayanganj’s Fatullah area.

Law enforcers said the accused also admitted to consuming drugs before the incident and claimed there had been no prior dispute with the victim’s family.