The prosecution on Sunday sought capital punishment for all the 25 accused in BUET student Abrar Fahad’s murder case.
Chief prosecutor in the case Mosharraf Hossain Kajal made the appeal to Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 judge Abu Zafar Mohammad Kamruzzaman while presenting the closing arguments.
Mosharraf Hossain said, “This killing is not a small incident. They waited for Abrar’s return from village. Then they set a ‘court’ inside the university’s hall and started torturing him. They were so angry at the boy that they finally thrashed him to death.”
He said, “We are not for outrage but we want justice.”
The court can consider if anyone is innocent but those who are convicted must get exemplary punishment in this case, said prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain.
The prosecutor said, “Abrar’s family is still crying. We want such punishment so that his mother can say justice has been served to her.”
Followed by the prosecution defence lawyer Abdus Sobahan Tarafdar started presenting the closing arguments.
The court was adjourned amid the arguments and set Monday to hear the remaining arguments of the defence.
Twenty-two of the incarcerated accused in this were produced before the court during the hearing.
In 2019, Abrar, 21, a second-year student of electrical and electronic engineering, was beaten to death by then Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders at Sher-e-Bangla Hall of the university.
He was found dead on the staircase of the hall in the early hours of 7 October after he was taken to room No-2011 around 8:00pm on 6 October and beaten mercilessly.
His murder sparked nationwide outcry.
On 7 October, Abrar’s father Barkat Ullah filed a murder case with the Chawkbazar police station accusing 19 people.
On 13 November, 2019, Detective Branch (DB) Inspector and investigation officer of the case Wahiduzzaman submitted the charge sheet accusing 25.
On 15 September, 2020, Court started trial of the case by framing charges against the 25 accused.
The court recorded statement of 47 witnesses among the 60 witnesses in the case.
On 14 March, this year, the arrested 22 accused in the case claimed their innocence while testifying in self-defense.
Three of the accused – Jishan, Rafid and Tanim – remained absconding.
On 7 September, 2021 the prosecution appealed for reframing the charges against the accused as few things were missed out the first time.
On 14 September, the 22 accused declared their innocence again in their statement in self-defence.