Ramisa's killer to get maximum punishment within a month: PM

Tarique declares 'Nazrul Year' from May 25, 2026 to May 25, 2027

FE Team | Published: May 23, 2026 23:17:23

Mymensingh, May 23 (UNB): Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday vowed to ensure the highest punishment within the next one month for the killer of eight-year-old Ramisa Akter, who was allegedly raped and murdered in the capital.
"The government will ensure the highest punishment for Ramisa's killer within the next one month, InshaAllah. That highest punishment is the death penalty," he said.
The Prime Minister made the announcement while inaugurating the three-day national programme marking the 127th birth anniversary of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam in Trishal upazila.
Referring to the maximum punishment, Tarique Rahman said it will serve as a warning so that no one dares to commit such violence against children or women in future.
"I want to make it clear before you all that the present government will in no way tolerate such abuse of children or violence against women," he said.
The Prime Minister said one of the greatest damages caused during the period of the ousted fascist regime was the severe destruction of humanity, compassion, and the country's long-standing religious and social values.
"The brutal killing of an innocent girl in Mirpur has exposed the extreme moral decay in society," he said, referring to the murder of Ramisa in Dhaka's Pallabi area.
Tarique Rahman also stressed the need to establish the rule of law and bring change to the political culture to build a safe and humane society.
"At the same time, we have to revive the country's long-standing religious, social and cultural values in national life. In this regard, the life and works of Kazi Nazrul Islam remain highly relevant," he said.
Later, Tarique formally inaugurated the three-day event at the Nazrul Mancha on the grounds of Darirampur Nazrul Academy in Trishal. The programme also includes a Nazrul book fair and rural fair.
State Minister for Cultural Affairs Ali Newaz Mahmood Khyom, State Minister for Jute and Textiles Shariful Alam, Cultural Affairs Secretary Kaniz Moula, Mymensingh Zila Parishad Administrator Syed Emran Saleh Prince, Executive Director of Kabi Nazrul Institute Latiful Islam Shibli, chairperson of the institute's trustee board and the poet's granddaughter Khilkhil Kazi, Dhaka University Bangla Department teacher Prof Tariq Manzoor, Mymensingh-7 lawmaker Mahbubur Rahman Liton and Deputy Commissioner Saifur Rahman, among others, spoke at the programme, with Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury in the chair
Ramisa, a second-grade student of Mirpur Popular Model School, was raped and killed allegedly by a tenant living in a neighbouring flat in Pallabi on Tuesday last.
Police said the suspect, Sohel Rana, lured the child into his room after she left her flat in the morning. He then allegedly raped and killed her.
Meanwhile, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Saturday handed over the DNA test report to the investigating officer in the case filed over the rape and murder of Ramisa.
Speaking on Kazi Nazrul Islam, the Prime Minister said the poet is an inseparable part of Bangladesh's identity and deplored that the national poet was not given due respect at the national level during the past two decades.
"Bangladesh and Kazi Nazrul Islam are an inseparable entity. He is a true representative of our national identity, a symbol of our national consciousness, and a pioneer of our nationalism," he said.
On the occasion of the poet's birth anniversary, he urged all to take inspiration to remove injustice, inequality, hunger, poverty and division, and to embrace Bangladesh first principle.
Tarique Rahman also greeted the people on the birth anniversary, which will be observed on May 25, and expressed deep respect to his memory. He declared the next one year from May 25, 2026 to May 25, 2027 as "Nazrul Year".
He said the government feels proud to resume state-level celebration of Nazrul's birth anniversary in Trishal after nearly two decades.
The Prime Minister bemoaned that after 2006, such national observance had not been held in Trishal.
"Since 2006, Nazrul Jayanti had not been celebrated at the national level in Trishal, which is closely associated with the immortal memory of the National Poet. After nearly two decades, the government feels proud to once again organise the National Poet's birth anniversary at the state level," he said.
In his speech, Tarique Rahman also recalled police officer Rafiz Ullah, saying he had brought young Nazrul to Trishal's Kazir Shimla village and given him
shelter in 1914.