Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman has directed the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner to submit the probe report within one week over the brutal rape and murder of eight-year-old child Ramisa Akter at Pallabi.

“The first thing I did after arriving at the office today was call the Police Commissioner and ordered that the investigation report be completed within one week. He agreed with me. I also spoke with the Home Secretary shortly before this,” he told reporters at Secretariat on Thursday.

The minister said steps will be taken to complete the trial proceedings of the murder case in the shortest possible time.

“The government will do everything possible to ensure the speedy completion of the trial over the murder of the child,” he added.

He also said the government aims to set another example through the swift trial of  Ramisa murder case, similar to the trial in the Achiya murder case.

The trial over Ramisa’s murder would be conducted under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal, not under the Speedy Trial Tribunal, said the minister.

When asked about Ramisa’s father’s lack of confidence in the judicial system, Asaduzzaman said “What Ramisa’s father said reflects his feelings from his position. I would not say his remarks are baseless. We will take steps to reduce the case backlog in Bangladesh’s judicial system.”

About the Achiya case, he said “We did everything within our capacity. We ensured that the charge sheet was submitted within seven days, and the trial was completed within one month. If the trial is conducted any faster than that, questions may arise regarding its fairness.”

Noting that there is a legal framework regarding the execution of death sentences, the minister said death references require confirmation from the Supreme Court.

The government is giving the highest importance to the trial of Ramisa’s murder, he added.

Ramisa, a Class-II student, was slaughtered by a tenant of their next-door flat at Pallabi in the capital on Tuesday.

The suspect – Sohel Rana – reportedly lured her into his room when Ramisa left her flat in the morning. Later, he raped the girl and slaughtered her.

The girl’s decapitated body was found beneath the bed while her severed head inside a bucket in the bathroom.

Locals detained suspect’s wife Swapna Akter, though Sohel managed to escape by cutting through a window grille.

He was later arrested in Fatullah of Narayanganj in the evening of the same day.

On Wednesday, Sohel gave a statement before a Dhaka court confessing to his guilt.