The High Court Division is set to deliver today its verdict on the death reference and appeals related to the murder of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology student Abrar Fahad.
Abrar was beaten to death inside his dormitory on October 7, 2019 by leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of the Awami League, after he had criticised the AL regime鈥檚 agreements with India in a Facebook post.
The murder sparked protests at home and abroad against oppression and suppression of freedom of speech and dissenting voices during the AL regime.
On February 25, the bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain concluded hearings on the death reference for 20 convicts sentenced to death and the appeals of five others serving life-term imprisonment as well as 17 detained death-row convicts out of the 20 sentenced to death.
The bench on the day said that the verdict would be delivered any day.
The investigation found that Abrar, a bright and outspoken student from a village in Kushtia, had no political affiliations but was targeted for his critical views.
Abrar鈥檚 father Barkat Ullah filed a case against 19 students and the police later submitted a charge sheet against 25 students, all leaders and activists of BCL, now a banned organisation.
On December 8, 2021, Dhaka鈥檚 Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 sentenced 20 of the 25 accused to death and five others to life term imprisonment.
The High Court received the death reference in January 2022.
After the fall of the AL regime amid a student-mass uprising on August 5, 2024, the interim government took the initiatives to begin hearing on the death reference and appeals in the case. The hearing began on November 28, 2024.
On August 6, 2024, Muntassir Al Jemi, one of the 17 death row convicts held in Kashimpur High Security Central Jail, escaped following a mass jailbreak involving 202 prisoners.
The students sentenced to death by the trial court are 鈥� Mehedi Hasan Russel, Muntassir Al聽 Jemi, Khandaker Tabakkarul Islam Tanvir, ASM Nazmus Sadat, Md Mizanur Rahman Mizan, Shamsul Arefin Rafat, Md Shamim Billah, Hossain Mohammad Toha, Md Moniruzzaman Monir, Md Mehedi Hasan Robin (aka Shanta), Muzahidur Rahman Muzahid, Anik Sarker Apu, Md Meftahul Islam Jeon, Ifti Mosharraf Sakal, SM Mahmud Setu, Morshed Amatya Islam, Md Mazedur Rahman Mazed, Morshed-Uz-Zaman Mondal Jisan (absconding), Ehteshamul Rabbi Tanim (absconding), and Mostaba Rafid (absconding).
The five accused who have been awarded life imprisonment are Muhtasim Fuad, Md Akash Hossain, Moaj Abu Hurayra, Amit Saha, and Istiak Ahammed Munna.
