Court orders restriction on public statements by accused outside court

A court directed authorities to prevent accused persons from making statements while in police custody outside court premises and barred the dissemination of such remarks through the media on Tuesday.

The order was issued by Judge Masrur Saleqin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Child Violence Prevention Tribunal following a petition filed by the prosecution.

The application was submitted before the commencement of witness testimony in the case involving the rape and throat-slitting murder of eight-year-old Ramisa in the capital's Pallabi area. Advocate Azizur Rahman Dulu, appointed as Special Public Prosecutor (PP) in the case, requested the court to issue directives prohibiting statements by the accused outside court and preventing their publication or broadcast.

He argued that, under the law, an accused person has no authority to make statements while in police custody except before a judge. He also noted that clear directives from the higher judiciary already exist on the matter. According to him, broadcasting statements of individuals in police custody or convicted prisoners constitutes a punishable offence under regulations set by the country's highest court and relevant state authorities.

The prosecutor further sought instructions for law enforcement agencies to ensure that accused persons refrain from making public comments in the future in order to preserve the transparency of judicial proceedings, prevent undue influence on public opinion, and safeguard national interests.

The tribunal accepted the petition and directed the relevant authorities to take necessary measures.

Earlier in the day, the trial formally began with the testimony of the complainant, Abdul Hannan Molla, the victim's father, before the tribunal at 10:35am Ramisa's mother, Parveen Akter, also testified. Both were cross-examined by state-appointed defence counsel Musa Kalimullah. The court later recorded the testimony of Ramisa's elder sister through a camera trial procedure.

Several key witnesses, including a magistrate, medical professionals, an evidence-collecting officer and local residents, are also expected to testify.

Meanwhile, the principal accused, Sohel Rana, was brought to court from Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj, while his wife and co-accused, Swapna Akter, was produced from Kashimpur Jail. They were initially kept in the holding cell of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court and later taken to the courtroom during the hearing.

The tribunal framed charges against both accused and ordered the commencement of the trial on Monday. The same day, summonses were issued to 17 prosecution witnesses, including the complainant.

On May 24, the tribunal took cognisance of the charge sheet submitted against the two accused. Earlier that day, the investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Ohiduzzaman of Pallabi Police Station, filed the charge sheet before the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ashraful Haque. The case was subsequently transferred to the Child Violence Prevention Tribunal for trial. A total of 17 witnesses have been listed by the prosecution.

According to the case statement, Ramisa, a second-grade student of Popular Model High School, left her home around 9:30am on May 19. Investigators allege that Swapna lured the child into her apartment. When Ramisa could not be found later that morning, her parents began searching for her and noticed her shoes outside the accused's flat. After receiving no response from inside, family members and neighbours broke open the door and discovered the child's decapitated body on the bedroom floor, with her severed head found inside a large bucket.

Police responded after receiving a call through the national emergency service 999 and took Swapna into custody at the scene. With the help of information technology, officers later arrested Sohel Rana from in front of Fatullah Police Station in Narayanganj.

The victim's father filed a case with Pallabi Police Station on May 20.