Abrar murder: HC upholds death sentence for all 20, life in jail for 5

Highlights

• Abrar was beaten to death by a group of now-banned Bangladesh Chhatra League activists on 7 October 2019
• A Dhaka court sentenced 20 Buet students to death and five more to life imprisonment on 8 December 2021
• On 6 January 2022, the death reference and case documents were submitted to the High Court
• Hearing on the appeal and death reference of the death row convicts began on 10 February
• A convict in the murder, Muntasir Al Jamie, escaped from Kashimpur High Security Central Jail on 6 August

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The High Court has upheld the trial court's verdict in the Abrar Fahad murder case, sentencing 20 people to death and five others to life imprisonment.

The bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain pronounced the verdict today (16 March) after holding hearings on the death references and appeals submitted by the convicts.

The court started reading out the verdict at around 11am.

The full text of the verdict would be published within two days, and the observation would be given in that, said court sources.

Ragging politics must be stopped in all educational institutions: Abrar's father

After the verdict was announced, Abrar Fahad's father, Barkat Ullah, told media, "We are satisfied with the High Court's ruling. However, the verdict must be implemented swiftly."

He also commented that ragging politics in all educational institutions must be stopped. 

Abrar Fahad's brother, Faiyaz, said, "We did not expect to receive such a swift verdict from the High Court. We are satisfied with this ruling, although there are still many legal procedures remaining.

"However, we cannot accept the fact that death row convict Jamie has escaped from prison." 

Muntasir Al Jamie, one of the death-row convicts, is yet to be caught after he escaped from Kashimpur Central Jail on 6 August last year by breaking through the prison wall.

Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman stated, "Through this verdict, Abrar Fahad's family and the nation have received justice. As the prosecution, we are satisfied with the ruling."

The attorney general said, quoting Mao Tse Tung, "'Though death befalls all men alike, it may be weightier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather.' Abrar's death is heavy like a mountain for us."

"It has shaken the roots of the values ​​of the entire nation. The death of Abrar Fahad has exposed how political fascism can grow day by day. At the same time, Abrar's death has established for us that no matter how strong fascism is, the humanity in people will sometimes awaken," he added.

Defense lawyer Azizur Rahman Dulu said, "We are aggrieved by this verdict. We did not receive justice as expected. We will appeal to the Appellate Division, hoping to receive justice there."

The 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 

Those who were sentenced to life are - Muhtasim Fuyad, Akash Hossain, Mowaz Abu Horaira, Omit Shaha and Istiaq Hassan Munna.

Abrar, a second-year student, was beaten to death by a group of now-banned Bangladesh Chhatra League activists at the Sher-e-Bangla Hall of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) on 7 October 2019.

Abrar's murder shook the nation sparking widespread protests by students. 

The death pointed towards a greater problem, that is the ragging culture in university dormitories across the country. Students spoke up about the incident as well as past experiences. 

Amid the protests, Buet authorities on 11 October 2019 banned all political activities on the campus and suspended 19 students accused in the Abrar killing case.

Case proceedings

Abrar Fahad's father Barkatullah later filed a murder case with Chawkbazar Police Station a day after the murder on 7 Octobe.

On 13 November 2019, Detective Branch (DB) Inspector and investigation officer of the case Wahiduzzaman submitted the charge sheet against the 25 accused.

On 15 September 2020, the tribunal framed charges against all 25 accused in the case.

The court recorded the statements of 46 witnesses among the 60 witnesses in the case.

A Dhaka court on 8 December 2021 sentenced 20 Buet students to death and five more to life imprisonment for killing Abrar for his social media post criticising the Bangladesh-India deal on sharing the water of the Feni River.

On 6 January 2022, the death reference and case documents came to the High Court for approval of the death sentence of 20 people in the Abrar Fahad murder case. The 6,627-page death reference and all the case documents were sent from the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 to the Death Reference Branch of the High Court.

After that, the convicts filed a criminal appeal and a jail appeal seeking acquittal. According to the Code of Criminal Procedure, if the death sentence is given in the trial court, all the proceedings of the case have to be sent to the High Court for approval. Convicted defendants can file criminal appeals and prison appeals in the High Court during that time.

In October last year, Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman took an initiative to expedite the hearing of the appeal and death reference of the death row convicts.

Later on the hearing of the appeal and death reference of the death row convicts in the Abrar Fahad murder case began on 10 February this year.

On 24 February, the hearing of the appeal and death reference of the death row convicts in the Abrar Fahad murder case partially ended.

Convict escapes

Meanwhile, Muntasir Al Jamie, convicted in the murder of Buet student Abrar Fahad, escaped from Kashimpur High Security Central Jail on 6 August by breaking through the prison wall, the Department of Prisons said on 25 February.

Jamie was among 203 inmates, including 87 death-row prisoners, who fled that day, said a press release signed by Jannatul Farhad, assistant inspector general of Department of Prisons.

To address public concerns, the release clarified that a case regarding the escape was filed with Konabari Police Station in Gazipur on 15 August.