The Minister for Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, Anisul Huq, has issued a formal directive to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner to submit the investigation report regarding the rape and murder of eight-year-old Ramisa Akhtar within seven days.
Speaking on Thursday, 21 May, the Law Minister confirmed the instruction, asserting that the government will take all necessary measures to ensure the judicial process is concluded within the shortest possible timeframe.
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Details of the Incident and Arrests
The victim, Ramisa Akhtar, was a second-grade student. Her body was recovered by the police on Tuesday morning from an apartment building in Section 11, Pallabi, Dhaka. Following the discovery, the victim’s father, Abdul Hannan Mollah, initiated legal proceedings by filing a case at the Pallabi Police Station.
The primary suspects named in the case are:
Sohel Rana (a tenant in the neighbouring flat).
Swapna Akhtar (wife of Sohel Rana).
One unidentified individual.
The police apprehended Swapna Akhtar shortly after the incident. Although Sohel Rana initially went into hiding, he was arrested by law enforcement on Tuesday evening. Both suspects were produced before the court today. The third unidentified suspect remains at large.
Confessions and Evidence
According to Sub-Inspector Ohiduzzaman, the investigating officer from Pallabi Police Station, Sohel Rana confessed to the rape and subsequent murder of the child during preliminary police interrogation. Furthermore, the primary accused has reportedly consented to provide a confessional statement before a magistrate under the relevant legal provisions.
Investigative reports indicate a high level of brutality; after the murder, the perpetrator allegedly decapitated the victim and severed her hands in an attempt to conceal the body and obstruct the identification process.
Case Summary and Legal Status
| Feature | Information |
| Victim | Ramisa Akhtar (Age 8) |
| Primary Accused | Sohel Rana and Swapna Akhtar |
| Location | Section 11, Pallabi, Dhaka |
| Date of Recovery | Tuesday, 19 May |
| Charges | Murder and Rape |
| Investigation Deadline | 7 Days (Ordered 21 May) |
| Post-mortem Facility | Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital |
Forensic Procedures and Burial
A post-mortem examination was conducted at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital to document the forensic evidence of the assault and the cause of death. Following the completion of the autopsy, the child’s remains were handed over to her family. Her relatives have since transported the body to her ancestral village for burial.
Despite the father’s public expression of grief and initial scepticism regarding the possibility of receiving justice, the Law Ministry has reiterated its commitment to an expedited trial.