State to seek no adjournment in Ramisa rape-murder appeal hearing: Attorney general

Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal has said
hearings on the death reference and appeals in the rape and murder case of
eight-year-old Ramisa Akter will proceed without interruption before a special
bench of the High Court.
"We will not seek any adjournment from the
state's side during the hearing," he told journalists at the Attorney
General's Office today (11 June).
The attorney general said Chief Justice Justice
Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury had formed a special bench to prioritise cases
involving violence against women and children.
He said he had informed the court of Justice
Bhishmadev Chakrabortty, the senior judge of the special bench, that the state
would not request any delay in proceedings related to the Ramisa case.
Expressing hope for a swift hearing, he said the
case could be included in the High Court's cause list as early as Sunday (14
June).
Speaking to journalists, the Attorney General said a special
prosecution team has been formed under his leadership to represent the state in
the High Court proceedings of the rape and murder case of child Ramisa.
The team includes Deputy Attorney General Barrister Osman
Chowdhury, Deputy Attorney General Barrister Mehedi Hasan, Deputy Attorney
General Jamiul Hoque Faisal, and Assistant Attorney General Dewan Humayun Kabir
Ripon.
He said, "I will personally take part in the High Court
hearing and arguments in the Ramisa murder case. In addition, all members of
our team are preparing for the hearing of the rape and murder case involving
Ramisa."
Earlier, on Tuesday (9 June), documents relating
to the death reference, signed by Judge Masrur Saleqin of the Dhaka
Metropolitan Child Violence Prevention Tribunal, in the case reached the High
Court following the conviction and death sentences handed down to Sohel Rana
and Swapna Akter for the rape and murder of Ramisa in Pallabi, Dhaka.
Under Bangladeshi law, all death sentences in
criminal cases require confirmation by the High Court through a process known
as a death reference.
On 7 June, the tribunal sentenced Sohel and
Swapna to death for the rape and murder of the child.
The court also fined Sohel Tk5 lakh and Swapna
Tk2 lakh. The compensation is to be paid to Ramisa's legal heirs.
The court ordered that if the fines were not
paid, the convicts' movable and immovable assets would be auctioned and the
proceeds given to the victim's family.
In its observations, the court said evidence
showed that Ramisa had been raped and sustained injuries to various parts of
her body before being killed.
The court also noted that Sohel had not sought
to withdraw his confession, indicating that he had admitted guilt
voluntarily.
It further observed that Swapna had helped her
husband evade arrest and had neither prevented nor opposed the commission of
the crime.
















