Home
+
Ashikul Islam Bitu was previously expelled by the top engineering university following the murder, but he was permitted to return after the High Court ordered to scrap the expulsion
Published : 09 Aug 2023, 06:09 PM
Students of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology have staged a demonstration protesting the return of previously suspended student Ashikul Islam Bitu to class.
Bitu, a student of the Chemical Engineering Department in the 16th batch, was among the 26 students expelled by the institution over the killing of Abrar Fahad, who was beaten to death by Chhatra League activists in a dorm on the night of Oct 6, 2019.
BUET listed Bitu as the 17th student responsible for Abrar’s murder in the face of a raging protest. However, police didn’t name him as a suspect in a case filed in connection with the killing.
Students left their classes in protest and demonstrated in front of the vice chancellor’s residence starting in the morning until 1:30 am on Wednesday. They promised to stage a similar demonstration every day until Bitu is expelled.
Students carried different placards that said, “We won't share our campus with a murderer,” “We want guarantees of Bitu's expulsion,” and “Will not let the blood of Abrar Bhai go in vain.”
Some students met the vice-chancellor at his office but refused to speak to the media about what they discussed. A number of students, refusing to disclose their identity, said they would speak to the media about the matter after coming to a decision in a meeting.
On Feb 10, the High Court halted Bitu's expulsion following a writ petition he filed against it. He applied to the BUET authorities using the court order and got permission to attend classes on Apr 4, 2021.
He attended an online class on May 22. On Sunday, he attended another class, after which students protested and demanded his expulsion.
On Monday afternoon, students formed a human chain in front of the BUET Shahid Minar protesting his return to class.
Several hundred students again staged a demonstration in front of the institution's cafeteria on Tuesday afternoon.
