Dhaka Court Sentences Sohel Rana and Wife Swapna to Death in Ramisa Rape and Murder Case
A Dhaka court has sentenced Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter to death in a high-profile case over the rape and brutal killing of eight-year-old Ramisa Akter in Pallabi, Mirpur.
Judge Masrur Salekin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Children Violence Suppression Tribunal delivered the verdict at 11:37am on Sunday (June 7), concluding the proceedings within minutes after the announcement.
The court also imposed fines of Tk 500,000 on Sohel Rana and Tk 200,000 on Swapna Akter. Authorities said the fines, if unpaid, will be recovered through seizure and sale of the convicts’ movable and immovable properties, with proceeds directed to the victim’s legal heirs.
Earlier in the day, the accused were brought to court under tight security. Sohel Rana was transported from prison and produced before the tribunal wearing a helmet and bulletproof vest, while Swapna Akter was brought to court in the morning hours.
Security around the court premises was significantly strengthened, with heavy police deployment and intelligence personnel in plain clothes monitoring the area ahead of the verdict.
According to court proceedings, formal charges were framed on June 1, and testimony from 16 of 18 witnesses was recorded the following day. Both accused had earlier pleaded not guilty during their defense statements on June 3.
The investigation moved rapidly, with the charge sheet submitted on May 24, just five days after the incident, and the case being transferred to the tribunal shortly afterward. The trial was completed in an unusually short timeframe of 19 days.
Officials noted that special arrangements were made to continue court proceedings even during the Eid-ul-Azha holiday period to ensure swift disposal of the case.
