Court Fines Sohel BDT 5 Lakh, Swapna BDT 2 Lakh for Ramisa's Heirs

In addition to the capital punishment, the Dhaka Metropolitan Tribunal for the Prevention of Violence Against Children has imposed hefty financial penalties on the two condemned convicts, Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Khatun, for the brutal rape and murder of minor child Ramisa in the capital's Pallabi.

Tribunal Judge Masrur Saleqin delivered the verdict on Sunday, sentencing both to death. 

Alongside the death penalty, the court imposed a fine of BDT 5 lakh on the prime accused Sohel and BDT 2 lakh on his accomplice wife Swapna.

The court explicitly ordered that the entire fine amount must be handed over to Ramisa’s legal heirs. 

Furthermore, the tribunal directed that if the convicts fail to pay the fines, the Collectorate office will step in to seize their movable and immovable properties. 

These assets will then be auctioned off to recover the designated amount, ensuring it is successfully delivered to the victim's grieving family.

The verdict brings an end to a case that shocked the nation after police recovered the dismembered body of the young girl from a residential flat in Pallabi on May 19. 

While the Daily Sun report notes the victim's age across conflicting records as seven or eight years old, she was a second-grade student. 

Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna, who resided in the very same flat, were swiftly apprehended following the gruesome discovery.

The judicial proceedings moved at a historic pace. Law enforcement investigated the incident with extreme urgency, allowing Sub-Inspector Ohiduzzaman Bhuiyan of the Pallabi Police Station to formally submit the charge sheet to the court within just five days on May 24. 

On that exact day, the case was immediately transferred to the Children’s Tribunal to begin the trial phase.

Following the Eid-ul-Azha holidays, the formal trial officially commenced on June 1 when the court framed charges against the couple. 

The speed of the judiciary was on full display on June 2, when the tribunal successfully completed the recording of testimonies from 16 out of 17 prosecution witnesses in a single day—including crucial depositions from the victim’s father, mother, sister, and close relatives. 

This was followed by the statements of the accused on June 3, and the presentation of closing arguments on June 4, leading directly to Sunday's landmark judgment.