20 BCL men to die, five get life term for killing BUET student Abrar

Bangladesh desk: The Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 on Wednesday sentenced 20 activists of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League to death and jailed five others for life for murdering BUET student Abrar Fahad at a residential hall in 2019 over his Facebook post.

Judge Abu Zafar Md Kamaruzzaman pronounced the verdict in a jampacked courtroom in presence of 22 accused in the case. Three other accused are still in hiding and faced the trial in absentia.

The death sentence recipients are Mehedi Hasan Rasel, Md Anik Sarkar, Mehedi Hasan Rabin, Ifti Mosharraf Sakal, Md Moniruzzaman Monir, Md Meftahul Islam Jion, Md Majedur Rahman Majed, Md Mujahidur Rahman Khandaker, Tabakkarul Islam Tanvir, Hossain Mohammad Toha, Md Shamim Billah, ASM Nazmus Sadat, Morshed Amratya Islam, Muntassir Al Jemi, Md Shamsul Arefin Rafat, Md Mizanur Rahman, SM Mahmud Setu, Morshed-Uz-Zaman Mandal Jisan, Ehtashemul Rabbi Tanim and Mujtaba Rafid.

Of them, Morshed-Uz-Zaman Mandal Jisan, Ehtashemul Rabbi Tanim and Mujtaba Rafid are still in hiding.

The lifeterm imprisonment recipients are Muhtasim Fuad Hossain, Md Akash Hossain, Muyaz Abu Huryra, Amit Saha and Ishtiaque Ahmed Munna.

Immediately after pronouncement of the verdict, public prosecutor Mosharrof Hossain Kajal expressed his satisfaction and said that justice was made and that the verdict would play a significant role in preventing recurrence of such heinuous acts on campuses of educational institutions across the country.

Defence lawyer Faruque Hossain said that his clients were aggrieved and would go to a higher court to challenge the verdict.

The tribunal was initially scheduled to deliver the verdict on November 28.

On November 28, the tribunal set December 8 for delivering the verdict, saying that the tribunal needed more time to examine evidence from the witnesses and the defence.

On November 14, the tribunal set November 28 for pronouncing the verdict after the prosecution and defence lawyers had concluded their final arguments in the case in the presence of 22 accused out of 25 in the dock.

On October 7, 2019, Abrar was beaten to death by leaders and activists of the then-BUET unit of the BCL reportedly over his posts on Facebook criticising the government’s deals with India. The killing triggered nationwide protests.

On November 13, 2019, the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court took cognisance of the charge sheet filed by the Detective Branch against 25 BCL leaders and activists.

The case was, later, transferred to the speedy trial tribunal following a plea of the complainant.