State defense appointed for accused in Ramisa rape-murder case

A state defense (state-appointed lawyer) has been appointed to handle the case on behalf of the accused sentenced to death in the rape and murder case of child Ramisa. Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Hafizur Rahman Khan has been given this responsibility.

Additional Attorney General Advocate Abdul Jabbar Bhuiyan confirmed the matter on Thursday (June 25). He said that some formal procedures are still pending. Once they are completed, the hearing of the death reference and jail appeal of the case will be held in the High Court.

Earlier, a High Court bench comprising Justice Bhishmadev Chakraborty and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja directed the solicitor to appoint state defense for the accused. In view of that instruction, Advocate Hafizur Rahman Khan was appointed.

This lawyer, who is experienced in criminal law, will now lead the legal battle on behalf of the two death row convicts in the case, Sohel Rana and his wife, Swapna Akhter.

According to the case information, child Ramisa was raped and killed on May 19. It is alleged that Sohel Rana was assisted by his wife, Swapna Akhter, in the incident.

Judge Masrur Salekin of the Dhaka Juvenile Crime Suppression Tribunal announced the verdict in the case on June 7 of this month. In the verdict, Sohel Rana and Swapna Akhter were sentenced to death considering the gravity and brutality of the crime.

After the verdict, the two convicts were sent to the condemnation cell. Later, they filed a jail appeal against the verdict from prison. Currently, preparations are underway for the death reference and appeal hearing of the case.