20 to be hanged for killing BUET student Abrar Fahad

PBC News:  A tribunal in Dhaka on Wednesday sentenced 20 accused to death in Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) student Abrar Fahad murder case.

Five other accused in the case were jailed for life.

Judge Abu Zafar Md Kamruzzaman of Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 of Dhaka pronounced the judgement in presence of 22 accused.

The condemned convicts are Mehedi Hassan Rasel, Muntasir Al Jemi, Tabakhkharul Islam Tanvir, Mohammad Sadat, Mizanur Rahman, Samsul Arefin Rafat, Md Shamem Billah, Mazedur Rahman, Hossain Mohammad Toha, Moniruzzaman Monir, Mehedi Hasan Robin, Muzahidur Rahman Muzahid, Anik Sarker, Meftahul Islam Zion, Ifti Mosharraf Shakal, Mahmud Setu, Morshed Amartya Islam, Morshedzamman alias Jisan, Ahtesamul Rabbi Tanim and Muztaba Rafid.

Of them, Jisan, Tanim and Rafid are still absconding.

On the other hand, the lifer are Muhtasim Fuad, Md Akash Hossain, Amit Shaha, Ishtiak Ahmed and Mohamad Moaj.

Earlier this morning, the 22 accused, out of 25, were produced before the tribunal from Dhaka Central Jail amid strong security measure.

On October 24, Chief Public Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajol pleaded to the tribunal to award capital punishment of death penalty for 25 including three absconding accused.

A total 46, out of 60 prosecution witnesses, testified in the sensational case.

BUET students and the university authorities found the lifeless body of 21-year-old Abrar on the stairs of the first-floor of Sher-e-Bangla Hall and rushed him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where doctors declared him dead at around 6:30am on October 7, 2019.

Abrar, a second-year student of EEE Department of BUET, was beaten to death by the Chhatra League activists over his posts on Facebook criticising India.

Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the Awami League, has been widely accused of using torture and extortion against students.

Abrar’s father Barkatullah filed a case with Chawkbazar Police Station after the incident.

The case was later transferred to the Speedy Trial Tribunal, allowing a plea of Abrar’s father.

The incident triggered a widespread protests on campuses across the country. Many took to social media to demand justice for Abrar.

Amid protests on the campus, BUET authorities on October 11 the same year banned all political activities on the campus and suspended 19 students of the university who were made accused in the case.