Staff Reporter, Dhaka | May 21, 2026
The Honorable Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has stood by the grieving family of Ramisa Akhter, an 8-year-old schoolgirl who was brutally murdered after being raped in the Pallabi area of Mirpur in the capital. On Thursday night, he visited the home of the deceased Ramisa in Pallabi to offer his condolences to the bereaved family members.
The Honorable Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed accompanied the Prime Minister during this visit. The sudden arrival of the Prime Minister and his deep expression of condolences created an intensely emotional atmosphere throughout the entire area.
Amid tight security tonight, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed arrived at the rented residence of Ramisa’s family in Pallabi. They embraced the parents and relatives of Ramisa. The air grew heavy with the cries of the distraught parents, who are devastated by the loss of their beautiful child. The Prime Minister and the Home Minister spent a considerable amount of time speaking with them, expressing their profound grief.
Consoling the family members, the Prime Minister said: "The pain and agony of losing a child cannot be expressed in words. As a father, I can feel your immense suffering. The entire country and our government stand by you during this difficult time."
According to the investigating officer and local sources, the brutal incident took place on the morning of May 19, 2026 (Tuesday) in a third-floor flat of a residential building in Block 'B' of Mirpur-11, under the jurisdiction of Pallabi Police Station.
On the morning of the incident, the mother of 8-year-old Ramisa Akhter was preparing to send her to school. Suddenly, Ramisa was nowhere to be found. Failing to find her child, the mother began searching frantically in all directions. There are only two apartments on the third floor of that building—one occupied by Ramisa's family and the other rented by a suspect named Sohel Rana (30).
During her thorough search, the mother’s eyes caught one piece discarded sandal lying in front of the door of the neighboring flat, which belonged to Ramisa. This aroused deep suspicion in her mind, and she began repeatedly banging on the door of that flat. However, as there was no response from inside and the door remained locked, the police were immediately informed.
The police arrived swiftly at the scene and attempted to break the door lock. At that moment, looking through the peephole of the door, a woman was seen pacing around anxiously inside. Subsequently, the police broke open the door, entered the flat, and recovered Ramisa's body from the bathroom. However, by that time, the prime accused, Sohel Rana, had cut open the bathroom window grill and escaped. His wife had deliberately kept the door locked from the inside to help her husband flee.
In a subsequent confession given to the police, the killer Sohel Rana stated that in the morning, he forcibly dragged Ramisa into his room from the empty space between the two flats. He then brutally raped the child before taking her to the bathroom and viciously murdering her.
No Mercy for the Criminal: Prime Minister
During the meeting, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman strongly condemned this horrific and barbaric incident. He gave a clear assurance that no matter how powerful the criminal might be, no leniency would be shown.
He immediately spoke with top administrative officials and ordered a proper and swift completion of the investigation. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed also urged the law enforcement agencies to show utmost urgency in investigating the case and to take strict legal measures.
The Prime Minister assured that the government is determined to bring the criminal to justice and ensure a swift and exemplary punishment, so that no other innocent child falls victim to such brutality in the future.
Within just 7 hours of the sensational incident, the police managed to arrest the prime accused Sohel Rana and his accomplice Swapna Akhter. The main accused has already confessed to his crime to police.
Relief in the Area, Demands for Fast Trial
The direct visit of the Prime Minister to the victim's house, alongside the presence of the Home Minister, has brought a sense of relief to Ramisa's family and the residents of the Pallabi area. The people of Mirpur, who have been protesting fiercely with demands for 'Justice for Ramisa', expressed hope that under the strict supervision of the administration, the exemplary trial process for this murder will be completed and executed as quickly as possible.
