Abrar's father calls for court to sentence son's killers to death

Barkat Ullah, the father of Abrar Fahad, the BUET student killed by Chhatra League activists, awaits an exemplary punishment for his killers.

He believes the measure is necessary to ensure that no other parents lose their beloved children in such a horrific manner.

Judge Abu Zafar Md Kamruzzaman of the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 is to deliver the verdict in the 2019 murder of Abrar, a case that roused the nation, on Wednesday, Dec 8.

BUET Sher-e-Bangla Hall resident Abrar had criticised the government over a water-sharing deal with India on Facebook. He was subsequently taken to the room of a BCL leader on the night of Oct 6, 2019, and murdered. The incident sparked fury among the university’s students and led to the authorities imposing a ban on student politics.

“Even now, thoughts of my son wake me in the early hours of the morning. They will stay with me the rest of my life,” said Barkat Ullah.

“My son was not a member of Islami Chhatra Shibir. But they claimed he was and killed him,” he said in a voice choked with emotion.

All of the 25 suspects eventually named in the case were BUET students and Chhatra League activists. Three of them were tried in absentia.

The trial began on Sept 15, 2020. Following the arguments from both sides, it ended on Nov 14 this year. The judge then set Nov 28 for the verdict. The verdict was, however, deferred to Dec 8 as the court said it needed ‘a bit more time’ to finish writing it.

“We have full confidence in the court and hope the verdict will be announced this time. We are expecting capital punishment for all convicts and that none of them is acquitted. Their punishment should set an example so that no other parents lose their children as I have,” said Abrar’s father.

Abrar’s uncle Mofazzal Hossain lives in Rampura. He was overcome remembering the day of the incident.

“If I knew about the torture, if I had received a phone call, I could have rushed to the scene and saved Abrar,” he said.

“We hope that the verdict will not be deferred again and the criminals will get the death sentence. Exemplary punishment will prevent others from committing a heinous crime like this,” he said.

The Abrar murder case was filed with Chawkbazar police by Md Barkat Ullah on Oct 7, 2019.

The case dossier offered harrowing accounts of how Abrar was clobbered with cricket stumps and skipping ropes for hours before his eventual death.

The BCL activists later dropped Abrar's body from a staircase of Sher-e-Bangla Hall before doctors pronounced him dead in the morning.

The accused were members of the BCL’s BUET unit. They were expelled after the incident.

Police arrested 21 people for the killing. Another suspect later turned himself in. Three suspects are currently on the run.

Detective Inspector Wahiduzzaman submitted the charges to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court against 25 suspects on Nov 13 after five weeks of investigation.

Students hold a demonstration in front of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) Shaheed Minar to demand swift and public justice for the killers of BUET student Abrar Fahad on Thursday, October 7, 2021. Over two years have passed since Abrar was tortured to death by a group of Bangladesh Chhatra League activists. Photo: Asif Mahmud Ove

Dhaka Speedy Tribunal-1 Judge Abu Zafar Md Kamruzzaman framed the charges against all accused and issued the trial order in September 2020.

The trial and verdict were delayed due to the pandemic and the judge contracting COVID-19 at one point.

In September, the 22 people behind bars pleaded not guilty after 46 people testified against them.

Abu Abdullah Bhuiyan, a special public prosecutor of the tribunal, said, “Through this case, we want to raise awareness about ragging culture, extortion, and coercion.”

"The 46 witnesses have been able to prove the guilt of the accused in the case with their testimonies. I hope the 25 accused will be handed out death sentences.”

Aminul Gani Tito, one of the lawyers representing the accused, said, "No matter the verdict delivered by this court, we will be released by the High Court."

"The general diary filed after the incident should have been treated as the First Information Report. The names of the accused were later included in the case dossier. The real culprits were let go while others were accused.”

Tito said, “We previously expressed a lack of confidence in the judge and petitioned to transfer the case to another court. But the High Court ignored the plea.”