High Court’s full verdict released, upholding death of 20, life term for 5

The full verdict of the High Court has been released in the case filed over the murder of Abrar Fahad, a student of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), upholding death sentence of 20 people and life term for five others.

Azizur Rahman Dulu, one of the defense counsels, said on Saturday that thy received an attached copy of 131-page verdict at the end of the last month.

Abrar Fahad, a second-year student of electrical and electronics engineering (EEE) department of the BUET, was beaten to death by activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (now banned), at the university's Sher-e-Bangla Hall on 6 October in 2019, allegedly over a Facebook post regarding water-sharing issues between Bangladesh and India.

Abrar was found dead on the staircase of the hall in the early hours of 7 October 2016 after he was taken to room No-2011 of the dormitory around 8:00pm on 6 October and beaten mercilessly.

On 7 October, Abrar’s father Barkat Ullah filed a murder case with the Chawkbazar police station in the capital.

On 13 November 2019, Detective Branch (DB) inspector and investigation officer of the case submitted the charge sheet against 25. Later, on 15 September 2020, the court framed charges against the accused.

The charge sheet said, "On suspicion of his being a Chhatra Shibir activist, and raising false, fabricated and baseless allegations, the accused mercilessly beat Abrar to death."

While deposing at the court, Abrar’s father Barkat Ullah said the accused had beaten his son in a planned way with cricket stump, sticks, and rope. That is why his son died. Later, the accused dumped the body at the staircase of the first floor.

Taking the charge sheet into cognisance, the court framed charges against the accused on 15 September 2020.

The speedy trial tribunal-1 of Dhaka delivered verdict over the case on 8 December 2021. 20 people were sentenced to death and five were awarded life term.

While pronouncing the verdict, the judge said the accused have beaten Abrar to death brutally falsely alleging him an activist of Bangladesh Chhatra Shibir, and the accused were awarded capital punishment to stop repetition of brutal murder.

The documents including verdict of the speedy trial tribunal for the approval of the deaths of accused reached the relevant section of the High Court on 6 January 2022, which were included as death reference.

If anyone is sentenced to death in a criminal case at the trial court, it requires approval of the High Court for execution, which is known as death reference case. Besides, the accused filed jail appeals and regular appeals against the verdict. Generally, hearing on the death reference and appeals takes place simultaneously.

After the verdict in the case by the trial court, the convicts filed jail appeal and appeal through the jail authorities. Separate jail appeals for its acceptability were placed at the High Court for hearing on 26 January 2022. The court accepted the appeals for hearing on the day. Besides, the convicts filed regular appeal. Hearing of accused's death reference, jail appeal and appeal were held simultaneously.

On 28 November 2024, the state started hearing through presenting paper book (details of the case). Later, hearing was held again through the presentation from the paper book from 10 February. Hearing was held on each working day except a day since that day.

The High Court concluded hearing on 24 February this year and delivered its verdict on the death references and appeals in the murder case on 24 February, upholding the verdict of the tribunal.

The 20 death row convicts are- Mehedi Hassan Rasel, Anik Sarker, Mehedi Hassan Robin, Ifty Mosharaf Sakal, Moniruzzaman Monir, Meftahul Islam Jiyon, Majedur Rahman, Muzahidur Rahman, Tabakhairul Islam Tanvir, Hossen Mohammad Toha, Shamim Billah, Nazmus Shadat, Muntasir Al Jemi, Mizanur Rahman, Mahmud Setu, Shamsul Arifin Rafat, Morshed Omorto Islam, Ehtesamul Rabbi, Morshed Uzzaman Jishan and Mujtaba Rafeed. All of them are former students of BUET.

Three of the death row convicts -- Morshed Uzzaman, Ehtesamul Rabbi, and Mujtaba Rafeed- have been on the run since 2021, while another death row convict, Muntasir Al Jemi, escaped from the Gazipur High Security Central Jail on 6 August last year.

Besides, Muhtasim Fuyad, Akash Hossain, Mowaz Abu Horaira, Omit Shaha and Istiaq Hassan Munna were sentenced to life in prison.