Dhaka: The grieving father of eight-year-old Ramisa Akter has called for the highest punishment for those responsible for her rape and murder, as court proceedings officially begin in a widely condemned case in Dhaka’s Pallabi area.
Speaking before testifying at the Dhaka Metropolitan Children Violence Prevention Tribunal, the victim’s father, Abdul Hannan Molla, expressed overwhelming grief and urged swift justice.
“I want justice for my innocent daughter. The perpetrators must face the maximum punishment. No parent should ever have to go through this pain again,” he said emotionally.
The tribunal, presided over by Judge Masrur Salekin, began recording witness statements on Tuesday. Key witnesses include the victim’s father, investigating officers, medical professionals, forensic experts, and local residents connected to the case.
The accused, Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Khatun, were produced in court from separate jail facilities ahead of the hearing. Earlier, charges were formally framed against them, and the court ordered a full trial with testimony from 17 witnesses.
According to investigators, the crime took place on May 19, when the accused allegedly lured the child into their residence and committed the offense before killing her. Her body was later recovered during police investigation, leading to the swift arrest of the suspects.
Officials confirmed that the trial process is now underway, with witness testimonies expected to continue in the coming days.
