The father of eight-year-old Ramisa Akter, who was raped and murdered in the capital’s Pallabi area, on Tuesday demanded the highest punishment for the accused, saying no other parent should have to endure such a tragedy.

“I expect justice for the brutal rape and murder of my innocent child. I want a fair trial and speedy execution of the verdict. May no other parent lose a child this way. May no family suffer such heartbreak,” Abdul Hannan Molla told reporters before testifying at Dhaka Metropolitan Children Violence Prevention Tribunal.

The recording of testimonies in the sensational case  began on Tuesday.

Judge Masrur Salekin of the tribunal is scheduled to record testimonies of  key witnesses in the case on Tuesday.

Besides Ramisa’s father, witnesses summoned to testify include the magistrate who recorded the confessional statement of the prime accused, doctors, officials involved in collecting evidence and local residents.

Earlier in the morning, prime accused Sohel Rana was brought to the court from Keraniganj Central Jail while his wife, Swapna Khatun, was produced from Kashimpur Jail.

They were kept at the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court lockup and were expected to be presented before the tribunal during the hearing.

On Monday, the same tribunal framed charges against Sohel Rana and Swapna Khatun and ordered the commencement of the trial.

The court also summoned 17 witnesses to testify in the case.

Ramisa Akter, daughter of Abdul Hannan Molla, was raped and murdered by Sohel Rana, tenant of a neighbouring flat, on May 19.

On May 24, the investigating officer of the case – Sub-Inspector Ohiduzzaman of Pallabi Police Station – submitted the charge sheet against Sohel Rana and his wife Swapna Akter to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in Dhaka.

According to the case details, accused Sohel lured her into his room and later killed her after rape.

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

While Swapna was detained from the scene, Sohel Rana managed to escape by cutting through a window grille.

He was tracked down and arrested by police later in Fatullah of Narayanganj.