Police have formally submitted a charge sheet to the court in connection with the brutal killing of eight-year-old schoolgirl Ramisa Akhtar in Pallabi, Dhaka, accusing two individuals of rape and murder.
The accused have been identified as Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akhtar. The charge sheet was submitted on Sunday afternoon (24 May) to the prosecution division by Sub-Inspector (SI) Oahiduzzaman, the investigating officer of Pallabi Police Station.
According to prosecution officials, the document will be placed before the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Ashraful Haque for further legal proceedings. SI Abul Kalam Azad of the prosecution division confirmed the submission and said that the investigation has reached a conclusive stage.
Investigating officer SI Oahiduzzaman stated that evidence gathered during the probe substantiates allegations that Sohel Rana committed rape followed by murder, while his wife, Swapna Akhtar, is accused of assisting in the commission and aftermath of the crime. Authorities maintain that both suspects played distinct roles in the incident.
The case has drawn widespread public attention due to the age of the victim and the severity of the allegations. Ramisa Akhtar, a second-grade student of Popular Model High School, was found dead on the morning of 19 May in a residential flat in Pallabi. Police later recovered her mutilated remains from different parts of the flat, including beneath a bed and inside a bathroom.
Following the discovery, the victim’s father, Abdul Hannan Molla, filed a case at Pallabi Police Station the next day, naming neighbour Sohel Rana, his wife Swapna Akhtar, and an unidentified individual as accused persons.
Initially, police detained Swapna Akhtar shortly after the case was lodged. Sohel Rana was later arrested in a follow-up operation. On Wednesday, 20 May, Sohel Rana reportedly gave a confessional statement before a magistrate, admitting to his involvement in the rape and murder of the child.
Case Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 19 May | Body of Ramisa Akhtar discovered in a Pallabi flat |
| 20 May | Suspect Sohel Rana gives confessional statement before magistrate |
| 20 May | Police arrest Sohel Rana after earlier detention of Swapna Akhtar |
| 20 May | Victim’s father files murder case at Pallabi Police Station |
| 24 May | Police submit formal charge sheet to court |
Authorities have stated that the investigation has been completed and the case is now set to proceed to trial. The prosecution is expected to rely on forensic evidence, witness statements, and the confessional testimony of the primary accused to substantiate the charges in court.
The incident has intensified concerns over child safety and violent crime within residential areas of the capital, prompting calls for stronger preventive measures and faster judicial proceedings in cases involving minors.