A special tribunal in Dhaka is scheduled to deliver its verdict on Sunday in the sensational rape and murder case of second-grade student Ramisa Akter, with the prosecution seeking the capital punishment for the two accused individuals Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter.

Judge Masrur Salekin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Children's Violence Suppression Tribunal set the date for pronouncing the judgment on June 4, immediately after both the prosecution and the defence concluded their arguments on that day.

Special Public Prosecutor Azizur Rahman Dulu expressed his strong expectations regarding the court's final decision.

He said, "We expect the highest punishment, the death penalty, for Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter. It is our expectation that the learned tribunal, in its wisdom, will handed the maximum punishment of death to the accused."

On the other side, the state-appointed defence counsel, Advocate Musa Kalimullah, briefly noted that they expect justice from the court.

The tragic incident dates back to May 19, when Ramisa, a Class-II student of Popular Model High School, was allegedly raped and beheaded by her neighbour, Sohel Rana, at his flat located in the Millat Camp area of Pallabi.

The principal accused, Sohel Rana, along with his wife Swapna Akter, were arrested on the exact same day of the crime. Ramisa's father filed a formal case with the police the following day, on May 20.

Recognizing the severity of the crime, the government took immediate legal measures.

On May 23, the government appointed Advocate Azizur Rahman Dulu as the special public prosecutor to swiftly conduct the trial on behalf of the state.

Verdict Sunday in Ramisa Murder Case

The case was brought before the Dhaka Metropolitan Children's Violence Suppression Tribunal, which is a newly constituted court dealing exclusively with cases of violence against children.

The investigation moved at an accelerated pace, with the police submitting a formal charge sheet on May 24 against the alleged rapist and killer Sohel Rana and his wife and alleged accomplice Swapna Akter.

Concurrently, the government appointed Advocate Musa Kalimullah as the state defence counsel to legally represent the accused couple before the special tribunal.

The judicial proceedings unfolded rapidly over the following week.

The tribunal framed charges in the case on June 1 and completed recording the depositions of the prosecution witnesses (PWs) in a single day on June 2.

Out of 18 listed PWs, 16 successfully testified and were subsequently cross-examined by the defence on that very same day.

On June 3, the two accused, Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter, made their self-defence statements directly before the court.

During these proceedings, Sohel Rana sought mercy from the tribunal while his wife Swapna Akter claimed complete innocence regarding the crime and prayed for justice.

The legal arguments in the case wrapped up on June 4, culminating in the prosecution seeking the maximum punishment of death for both of the accused.