BUET student Abrar Fahad murder verdict postponed

22 accused in Abrar Fahad murder were brought to the court on 28 November 2021
Dipu Malakar

The date of verdict in the BUET student Abrar Fahad murder case has been deferred to 8 December.

The court of judge Abu Zafar Md Kamaruzzaman of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 on Sunday fixed the new date of the verdict.

Earlier, on 14 November, the tribunal fixed 28 November (today) for delivering the judgment after completion of arguments of both the state and defendants.

The judge took the seat at around 12:10pm and said, “The verdict will not be announced today. The verdict will be announced on 8 December.”

Earlier in the day, 22 accused were brought to the lock-up at Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court around 9:30am. They were produced before the court around 11:45am.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, public prosecutor Abu Abdullah Bhuiyan said out of 60 witnesses the state produced 46 before the court to prove the allegations. On 14 November the court fixed 28 November for announcing the verdict.

He further said they have pleaded for highest punishment of the 25 accused.

The case statement said, “The accused have beaten Abrar to death brutally falsely alleging him an activist of Bangladesh Chhatra Shibir.”

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.

Mosharraf Hossain Kazal, Abu Abdullah Bhuiyan, Abdus Sobhan Tarafdar, Prashanta Kumar Karmaker, Mizanur Rahman, Alamgir Hossain, Shohidul Islam, and Mashir Rahman represented the state while Mahabub Ahmed, Aminul Gani, Gazi Zillur Rahmann Azizur Rahman and Faruq Ahmed were the defence lawyers.

In 2019, Abrar, 21, a second-year student of electrical and electronic engineering department of BUET, was beaten to death by 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 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 accusing 19 people.

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

The court recorded statements 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-defence.

The 22 are – Mehedi Hasan Rasel, Muhtasim Fuad Hossain, Md Anik Sarker, Mehedi Hasan Robin, Ifti Mosharraf Sakal, Md Moniruzzaman Monir, Md Meftahul Islam Zion, Md Mazedur Rahman Mazed, Md Mujahidur Rahman, Khandaker Tabakkarul Islam Tanvir, Hossain Mohammad Toha, Md Akash Hossain, Md Shamim Billah, ASM Najmus Sadat, Morshed Amartya Islam, Muaz Abu Huraira, Muntasir Al Jemi, Amit Saha, Ishtiaque Ahmed Munna, Md Shamsul Arefin Rafat, Md Mizanur Rahman and SM Mahmud Setu.

Three of the accused – Morshed-uj-Jaman Mandal Jishan, Mujtaba Rafid and Ehteshamul Rabbi Tanim – remained absconding.