Witness Accounts Reveal Horrific Details of Ramisa Murder

Heart-wrenching and horrific details of the rape and subsequent murder of young Ramisa Akter were laid bare in court today, Tuesday, as family members, neighbors, and eyewitnesses took the stand to recount the grim events of May 19.

A total of ten witnesses—including Ramisa’s parents, elder sister, paternal relatives, and neighbors—completed their depositions before the Metropolitan Tribunal for the Prevention of Violence Against Children in Dhaka. The court, presided over by Judge Masroor Salekin, heard chilling narratives of a blood-stained room, a decapitated body concealed beneath a bed, and the prime accused fleeing down the exterior of the building.

Family Recounts the Grim Discovery

Testifying before the tribunal, Ramisa’s aunt described the frantic moments leading up to the gruesome discovery. After being alerted by her husband that Ramisa was missing, she rushed to the residence only to find a crowd gathered in tears. Upon entering the room, she discovered Ramisa’s headless body hidden under one side of the bed while the police were preparing the initial inquest report. During cross-examination, she clarified that she witnessed the decapitated body firsthand but did not witness the act of assault itself.

The victim’s uncle, Mizanur Rahman Liton, testified that he was traveling on the Metro Rail when his wife called to inform him of Ramisa’s disappearance. Upon rushing back to the building, he was met with a trail of blood. He recounted the agonizing sight of Ramisa's severed head placed inside a large bucket, noting that her throat and hands had been brutally slashed. During his testimony, Liton formally identified the prime accused, Sohel Rana, and his wife, Swapna Khatun, in the crowded courtroom.

Neighbors Detail the Break-In and Accused's Escape

Monir Hossain, a resident of the same apartment building, stated that between 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM on the day of the incident, he heard a commotion and rushed downstairs. He witnessed Ramisa’s mother frantically banging on Sohel Rana’s door. After forcing entry into the flat, they found blood splattered across the floor. He noted that Rana's wife, Swapna, was standing silently inside, while an inner gate remained padlocked. Once that barrier was breached, the headless torso of the child was revealed.

Another neighbor, Zakirul Islam Rajon, echoed these details, testifying that after forcing their way in, they initially noticed discarded clothing in the bathroom before spotting pools of blood. When questioned, Swapna claimed to know nothing about the situation. The neighbors then lifted the bedframe, exposing Ramisa’s unclothed torso, and discovered her severed head placed inside a nearby bucket.

In a highly critical piece of eyewitness testimony, a neighbor named Abu Sama described witnessing the prime accused flee the crime scene. He testified that around 10:00 AM, while having breakfast, he noticed a bare-chested man scaling down the exterior window of the adjacent apartment. Mistaking the individual for a burglar, Sama screamed to alert the neighborhood. Moments later, cries of anguish erupted from the building, where Ramisa’s body was discovered. Sama stated during cross-examination that he later conclusively identified the fleeing man as Sohel Rana after seeing his photograph broadcast across mainstream media.

Prosecution Confident of Conviction Following Key Depositions

Further testimonies were provided by witness Moniruzzaman Shaheen, who detailed recovering a thin knife from the crime scene alongside the bucket housing the victim's head, and police personnel Ruma Akter, whose structural evidence was logged into the official judicial record.

Following the day's intense judicial proceedings, Special Public Prosecutor (PP) Azizur Rahman Dulu briefed journalists outside the courtroom, expressing confidence in the state's case. The prosecutor emphasized that the detailed depositions provided by the victim's parents and neighbors have successfully mapped out the horrific sequence of the crime. Furthermore, the testimonies have legally corroborated how the prime accused, Sohel Rana, carried out the sexual assault and murder before cutting through a window grill to make his escape, providing the prosecution with watertight evidence to pursue the highest legal penalty.