Abrar murder: Decision made at guestroom to beat him to death
Police have identified Abrar’s roommate Mizanur Rahman as the prime instigator in the murder of Abrar Fahad, a student of the 17th batch at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), according to the charge sheet.
“Mizan has been identified as the prime instigator and initiator in the Abrar murder,” it read.
“Abrar Fahad seemed to me as a member of Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami,” Mizanur Rahman told BUET unit Chhatra League organising secretary Mehedi Hasan alias Robin, according to the charge sheet.
On 13 November, the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court accusing 25 people including BUET unit Chhatra League president in the Abrar Fahad killing case.
On 5 October 2019, several of the accused held a meeting at the guestroom, according to the charge sheet. The meeting decided to beat Abrar to death, the charge sheet said adding Abrar was killed on the following night, 6 October.
Abrar’s father Barkat Ullah filed a murder case with Chawk Bazar police station accusing 19 people including BUET unit president Mehedi Hasan alias Rasel.
The charge sheet narrated how brutally Abrar was killed. It elaborately described when and how Abrar was tortured, and who the roles played by the different assailants.
It mentioned Abrar was beaten with cricket stumps and a skipping rope. At one stage Abrar vomited and urinated and he was taken to the washroom and his clothes were changed, the charge sheet added.
Following Mizan’s statement that Abrar was a member of Shibir, he was cruelly beaten to death, the charge sheet said.
Abrar lived at room 1011 on the ground floor of Sher-e-Bangla Hall. Mizanur Rahman, a student of the 16th batch, also lived in that room. Mizanur Rahman’s name was not in the case statement.
According to the investigation, sometime before 4 October, Mizanur told BUET unit Chhatra League organising secretary Mehedi Hasan alias Robin, “Abrar seems to be a possible member of Shibir.”
As per Mizanur’s statement, Robin circulated the matter through the Facebook page of Chhatra League of Sher-e Bangla Hall of BUET.
On 4 October, a meeting headed by Robin and Ishtiak Ahmed alias Munna was held at the canteen of Sher-e Bangla Hall. Amit Shaha, Ifti Mosharraf Sakal, Akash Hossain, Khandaker Tabakhkharul Islam, Moniruzzaman Monir, and Miftahul Islam Jion, among the other accused, attended the meeting.
During the meeting, a few of the young men were sent to check whether Abrar was in his room. Abrar was not at his room on the day. He was at his home in Kushtia.
On 5 October 2019, a meeting led by Moniruzzaman Monir was held at the guestroom. Hossain Mohammad Toha, Akash Hossain, Mazedur Rahman Mazed, Moaz Abu Hurayra, among others, attended the meeting. The meeting decided to beat Abrar to death.
In the evening on 6 October, Mujtoba Rafid said to his associates Ifti Mosharraf and Mehedi Hasan alias Robin, “I will be going home. If you want to catch Abrar, do it today.”
Hossain Mohammad Toha and Shamsul Arefin informed everybody including Ifti Mosharraf that Abrar returned to the hall from his village.
They then all gathered at room 2011. As per instructions of Mehedi Hasan alias Robin, Ifti Mosharraf, Ehteshamul Rabbi alias Tanim, Muntasir Al Jemi and ASM Nazmus Sadat Abuzar went to Abrar’s room around 8pm. Abrar was sleeping at that time. Tanim shook Abrar awake and said, “The ‘senior brothers’ have called you. Go to the room 2011.”
When Abrar asked why, Tanim said, “You will see when you go there.”
They took Abrar along with his laptop and mobile phone to room 2011.
Tabakhkharul, Ifti Mosharraf and Muztaba Rafid started checking Abrar’s mobile phone and laptop. When one of them said the information of Shibir was found in Abrar’s mobile, Mehedi Hasan alias Robin got furious. Robin asked Abrar to remove his glasses. He slapped hard Abrar several times. Meanwhile, Morshed Amartya Islam brought some cricket stumps.
Ifti Mosharraf slapped Abrar hard and took up a cricket stump. He started beating Abrar all over. The cricket stump with the force.
Ehtesamul Rabbi and Tanim brought another stump. Anik Sarker took it up and hit Abrar 50 to 60 times at a stretch. Abrar fell to the floor. Instantly Mujahidul Islam and Shamim Billa lashed him with a skipping rope. Abrar Fahad begged for his life, but he was not spared.
Miftahul Islam alias Jion struck Abrar forcefully all over his body. “Does Abrar do Shibir?” Jion repeatedly asked.
According to the charge sheet, it was 11pm. SM Mahmud alias Setu arrived at that room. He enquired about Abrar.
Abrar is not disclosing any information, said Anik Sarker, Ifti Mosharraf and Mujahidul Islam.
While leaving, Mahmud alias Setu instructed, “Continue beating him.” Following the instruction, Abrar was hit with cricket stumps and the skipping rope.
Ifti Mosharraf and Anik Sarker started beating Abrar again with cricket stumps. They struck Abrar’s back with their elbows heavily. All of them started slapping, punching and kicking him with all their might. Before leaving the room, Anik Sarker and Mehedi Hasan alias Robin said, “You dig out information from Abrar.”
Moniruzzaman said he got information of Shibir on Abrar’s mobile phone. Then Moniruzzaman continued beating him with cricket stump.
Tabakhkharul, Nazmus Sadat and Ehteshamul Rabbi alias Tanim, Muntasir Al Jemi slapped Abrar.
Anik Sarker entered the room again. He took up the cricket stump and struck Abrar 40 to 50 times heavily. Abrar vomited and urinated. He begged them to let him. He was then taken to the washroom and his clothes changed.
Then at the instruction of Ifti Mosharraf and Mehedi Hasan, Nazmus Sadat, Shameem Billah, Shamsul Arefin, Akash, Moaz Abu Horayra, Muntasir Al Jeme and Ehtashamul Rabbi held Abrar and carried to room 2005.Ifti Mosharraf called mess boy Jahid Hasan to clean up room 2011.
“You dug out information from Abrar about who is with Shibir in BUET,” Ifti Mosharraf told others after taking Abrar to room 2005. Detective Branch inspector and investigation officer Wahiduzzaman mentioned this in the charge sheet.
Noticing the critical condition of Abrar, Moaz Abu Horayra and Amartya Islam said to Mehedi Hasan alias Robin, “Abrar has to be taken to hospital.”
Hearing this, Mehedi Hasan alias Robin said, “He is acting. You don’t know Shibir. It is difficult to understand Shibir.”
Around 2:30am, Ifti Mosharraf, Mujahid, Tabakhkharul and Toha carried Abrar in a mattress and kept him on the stairs of the 2nd floor.
Later the accused called the physician of BUET and an ambulance.
Examining Abrar’s body, the physician declared him dead. After killing Abrar, cricket stumps, mattress, pillow, Abrar’s laptop and machetes were taken to the room of BUET Chhatra League unit vice president Muhtasim Fuad from room 2011.
BUET unit Chhatra League president Mehedi Hasan alias Rasel and vice-president Muhtasim Fuad gave the overall instructions to carry out the killing. Mehedi Hasan Rasel put pressure on the physician to hurriedly remove the body when it was taken to the downstairs of the hall.
The charge sheet says Abrar was brutally beaten to death, with false, fabricated and baseless allegations brought against him.
*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam