Abrar murder: HC upholds death of 20 people, life term for 5
The High Court has upheld death sentence of 20 people and life term for five in the case filed over the murder of Abrar Fahad, a student of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
A High Court bench comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain delivered the verdict today, Sunday.
The hearing on the death references and the jail appeals of the accused in the Abrar Fahad murder case concluded on 24 February, and the case was adjourned for verdict.
On 6 October 2019, the body of Abrar Fahad, a second-year student of electrical and electronic engineering department of BUET was recovered from Sher-e-Bangla Hall of the university. In connection with the incident, Abrar’s father Barkat Ullah filed a murder case with the Chawkbazar police station.
Conducting an investigation into the case, the police submitted a charge sheet against 25 students to the court on 13 November 2019.
After the delivery of the verdict, Abrar Fahad's father Barkat Ullah said they are satisfied with the verdict. He wants quick execution of the verdict.
According to the charge sheet, "On suspicion of his being a Chhatra Shibir activist, and raising false, fabricated and baseless allegations, the accused mercilessly beat Abrar to death." 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.
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.
After concluding hearing on 24 February, the court kept the case awaiting for verdict.
Attorney general Md Asaduzzaman, deputy attorneys general Md Jasim Sarker, Khandaker Bahar Rumi, Noor Mohammad Azmi and Russell Ahammed, assistant attorneys general Abdul Jabbar Jewel, Laboni Akhtar, Tanvir Prodhan and Sumaiya Binte Aziz represented the state in the hearing. Senior lawyer SM Shahjahan, lawyer Azizur Rahman Dulu, Masud Hasan Chowdhury and Mohammad Shishir Monir, among others, represented the accused.