Abdul Hannan Molla, the father of Ramisa, the child who was raped and killed in Pallabi, appeared in court to testify and demanded justice for his daughter.
He demanded highest punishment for the two accused, Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Khatun, after charges were framed against them on Monday.
He said, “No parent should have to go through such pain by losing their child.”
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday at the Dhaka Metropolitan Child Violence Suppression Tribunal of Judge Masrur Salekin, Hannan urged the court to ensure a speedy trial.
Hannan said, “I seek justice from the court for the gruesome killing and rape of my innocent child. I seek that trial to be carried out quickly.”
"No parent should have to come to the court. I would request the government and the Opposition to pass a law in parliament that ensures a verdict within a month of the confession (by suspect). That will be effective. That is what I expect, and the people of the country also expect it."
Several key witnesses were also scheduled to testify during the hearing. They include the magistrate who recorded the confessional statement of the prime suspect Sohel, a doctor, the officer who collected evidence, and local neighbours.
At around 8:45am, Sohel was produced before the court from Keraniganj Central Jail, while Swapna Khatun was brought from Kashimpur Jail.
The two accused were initially kept in the lock-up of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judges’ Court before being taken to the dock for the hearing.
On Monday, the court framed charges against Sohel and Swapna, formally ordering the start of the trial. Summons were also issued for 17 witnesses to appear before the court and provide testimony.
Ramisa’s body was recovered on May 19 from a flat in Block B of Section 11 in Pallabi.
According to police, 32-year-old Sohel, a resident of an adjacent flat, killed the child on the morning of the incident. He allegedly cut through a window grill and fled the scene, while Swapna remained inside the apartment.
Swapna was later arrested from the flat, while Sohel was detained later that evening in Fatullah, Narayanganj.
On the same day, Ramisa’s father filed a case with Pallabi Police Station, naming both suspects.
Police said Sohel had already confessed to the killing in court.
The case statement says Ramisa lived with her family in an apartment in Section 11 and was a Class-2 student at Popular Model High School. Sohel and Swapna were sub-tenants in another flat in the same building.
According to the case details, Ramisa left home at around 9:30am on May 19. The suspects allegedly lured her to their third-floor flat.
About an hour later, while searching for her daughter before school, Ramisa’s mother reportedly noticed the child’s sandal outside the suspects’ room. When repeated knocks went unanswered, she and several neighbours broke open the door.
Inside, they found Ramisa’s body in the room and her severed head placed in a bucket in the bathroom, with Swapna present at the scene.
During interrogation, Swapna allegedly said Sohel confined Ramisa in the bathroom, raped her and killed her.
To destroy evidence, he allegedly severed her head with a knife, partially cut both arms from the shoulders, placed the body under a bed and kept the head in a bucket before fleeing.
The investigation officer in the case, Sub-Inspector Ohiduzzaman of Pallabi Police Station, submitted the chargesheet against the suspects on May 24.
The Metropolitan Magistrate later transferred the case to the Dhaka Metropolitan Child Violence Suppression Tribunal for trial, where Judge Masrur accepted the charges.
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