Father charges 19 over murder of BUET student Abrar

A case has been started against 19 people over the murder of Abrar Fahad, a student of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology or BUET.

Abrar's father Barkatullah started the case with the capital's Chawkbazar police on Monday, said Muntasirul Isam, deputy commissioner of DMP's Lalbagh Division.

Police have also detained the general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League's Dhaka University chapter and eight others for interrogation in connection with the incident.

"These nine are also named as suspects in the case," said Deputy Commissioner Muntasirul.

The BCL men are General Secretary Mehedi Hassan Russel, Vice President Muhtasim Fuad, Research Secretary Anik Sarkar, Sports Secretary Meftahul Zion, Deputy Social Services Secretary Iftee Mosharaf Shokal and the Department of Mechanics' Tanvirul Abedin Ethan, 'Robin', 'Munna' and 'Jamie'.

Abrar, a second-year student of electrical and electronic engineering, was found dead in the stairway in the early hours of Monday.

A resident of Sher-e-Bangla Hall, Abrar was called up from his room at 7:30pm on Sunday, said police, quoting the students of the hall.

Later, his body was found on the first-floor stairway of the hall at 2am.

An autopsy at Dhaka Medical College Hospital subsequently revealed that Abrar was bludgeoned with blunt objects.

There were numerous injury marks on his hands, feet and back, a doctor said, adding, "He died due to internal bleeding."

His death has triggered protests on the BUET and Dhaka University campuses.

Classmates of Abrar claimed that BCL men beat him to death suspecting his involvement with Islami Chhatra Shibir. A two-probe panel has been constituted to look into the allegations, BCL's central committee announced. 

Footage captured by a closed-circuit camera installed on the residential hall's second floor showed a few people dragging Abrar down the corridor by his hands and feet.

The individuals caught on camera were all junior leaders and activists of the hall's BCL unit, according to some students.

Meanwhile, the university authorities have filed a general diary after issuing an 'emergency notice' over the incident. A probe panel will also be formed to investigate the matter, they said.

"A GD has been filed with Chawkbazar police over the unexpected death of Abrar Fahad, a resident of Sher-e-Bangla Hall's room 1011. Police are accordingly starting an investigation into the incident," reads the notice signed by BUET's Acting Registrar Prof Md Saidur Rahman.

The university's dean, departmental head, director, provost, registrar and senior teachers will hold a meeting over the incident at 11 am on Monday, according to the notice.

All students, teachers and members of staff have been requested to cooperate in the investigation into the murder.