HC accepts jail appeals of death-row convicts in Ramisa rape and murder case

The High Court has accepted for hearing the jail appeals of two death-row convicts in the rape and murder case of eight-year-old Ramisa in Dhaka’s Pallabi area.

A bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali passed the order on Sunday (June 14).

Attorney General Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal represented the state during the hearing.

Earlier, on June 11, convicts Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter filed jail appeals through prison authorities challenging their death sentences. The death reference documents in the case were sent to the High Court on June 9.

A Dhaka Metropolitan Children’s Violence Prevention Tribunal had sentenced both convicts to death for rape and murder. The court also fined Sohel Rana Tk 5 lakh and Swapna Akter Tk 2 lakh, directing that the fines be paid to the victim’s legal heir.

Under Bangladeshi law, a death sentence requires High Court confirmation before execution through a death reference process.

According to case details, the victim, a second-grade student, went missing on May 19 while on her way to school in Pallabi. She was later allegedly taken to a residence, where she was raped and murdered. A case was filed by her father on May 20, and police submitted a charge sheet within four days, listing 18 witnesses.

The tribunal framed charges on June 1, completed testimony on June 2, heard statements from the accused on June 3, and concluded arguments on June 4 before delivering the verdict on June 7.