BUET expels for life 26 students over Abrar murder

BUET has permanently expelled 26 students over the murder of Abrar Fahad in a hall on the campus.

The disciplinary board of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology took the decision in a meeting on Thursday night.

Mizanur Rahman, the director of the university’s Directorate of Students’ Welfare told bdnews24.com that the board took the decision after receiving the report on Nov 16 of the committee formed by the authorities to investigate the killing.

The board met three times to review the report, he said.

It also suspended six other students for different terms for breach of rules.

All the 26 expelled students are accused of killing Abrar and they include 25 charged by police on Nov 13, according to a statement from Mizanur.

After Abrar, a second-year student of electrical and electronic engineering, was tortured to death at the Sher-e-Bangla Hall on Oct 6, the university suspended 19 students and banned organisational political activities on the campus following student protests.

Most of the accused are members of the ruling Awami League’s student front Bangladesh Chhatra League. They allegedly killed Abrar for his Facebook post criticising the government.

The 26 expelled students include BUET BCL general secretary Mehedi Hasan Rasel (civil engineering department) vice-president Muhtasim Fuad (civil engineering), organising secretary Mehedi Hasan Robin (chemical engineering), information and research secretary Anik Sarker (mechanical engineering), literature secretary Moniruzzaman Monir (water resources engineering), sports secretary Meftahul Islam Jion (marine engineering), publication secretary Ishtiaque Ahmed Munna (mechanical engineering), deputy social services secretary Ifti Mosharraf Sakal (biomedical engineering), deputy legal affairs secretary Amit Saha (civil engineering), and deputy office secretary Mujtaba Rafid (chemical engineering).

The BCL members expelled by the university are Muntasir Ali Jemmy (mechanical engineering department), Mujahidur Rahman (electrical and electronic engineering), Hossain Mohammad Toha (mechanical engineering), Ehteshamul Rabbi Tanim (chemical engineering), Shamim Billah (marine engineering), Majedul Islam (materials and metallurgical engineering), Akash Hossain (chemical engineering), Khandaker Tabakhkharul Islam Tanvir (mechanical engineering), Mahmudul Jishan (electric and electronic engineering), Moaz Abu Horayra (computer science and engineering), ASM Nazmus Sadat (mechanical engineering), Morshed Amartya Islam (mechanical engineering), Shamsul Arefin Rafat (mechanical engineering), and Mahmud Setu (chemical engineering).

Expelled student Morshed Uz Zaman Mandal was not named in the charge sheet.

The other expelled student, Mizanur Rahman of water resources engineering department, was Abrar’s roommate.       

File Photo: Abrar Fahad murder protesters painted graffiti on the BUET campus.

The protesters postponed demonstrations on Oct 15 when the authorities met some of their demands after accepting all, but the students did not return to classes as some other demands were yet to be fulfilled.

After police submitted the charge sheet, the protesters set three conditions for withdrawing the strike, including permanent expulsion of those named in the charge sheet.

They have also demanded punishment of those involved in previous ragging incidents on the campus and inclusion of the ban on politics in the university’s ordinance.