The death reference related to the widely discussed rape and murder case of eight-year-old Ramisa Akter has been formally sent to the High Court, paving the way for judicial review of the death sentences handed down by a lower court.
The documents were forwarded on Tuesday following an order issued by Judge Masrur Salekin of the Dhaka Metropolitan Children Violence Suppression Tribunal.
Court officials said the submission includes both the death reference and the complete written judgment in the case. Under Bangladesh’s legal framework, all death sentences awarded by trial courts must be reviewed and approved by the High Court before they can be carried out.
Pankaj Peter Gomes, bench assistant of the tribunal, confirmed that the documents were dispatched to the High Court at around 3:40pm.
According to court sources, the submission consists of a total of 72 pages. These include a 69-page full judgment detailing the tribunal’s findings, legal reasoning and verdict, along with a three-page death reference concerning the two convicts sentenced to death in the case.
The Ramisa Akter rape and murder case drew significant public attention and sparked widespread outrage across the country. Following the tribunal’s verdict, the case entered the mandatory appellate review stage required for all capital punishment cases.
With the documents now before the High Court, the higher judiciary will examine the evidence, legal procedures and findings of the trial court before deciding whether to uphold, modify or overturn the death sentences.
The High Court’s review process is considered a crucial safeguard in capital punishment cases, ensuring that all legal requirements were properly followed before a final decision is reached.
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