The death reference of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology鈥檚 20 expelled students, sentenced to death in 2022 for the murder of fellow student Abrar Fahad, remains pending in the High Court for over two years.
Sources at the High Court registrar鈥檚 office told 抖阴精品 that no steps have been taken to prioritise the preparation of the paperbook 鈥� a compilation of the documents needed for the hearing of an appeal and death reference.
The court is currently processing death references filed up to 2019, and the chief justice鈥檚 approval is required to expedite cases like Abrar murder, which were received in 2022, the officials explained.
More than 1,000 death references have been piled up with the High Court, according to the official.
Additional attorney general Aneek Rushd Haque informed 抖阴精品 on Sunday that the attorney general鈥檚 office will soon initiate actions to expedite the hearing of this high-profile murder case.
The High Court received the death reference in January 2022, following the verdict from Dhaka鈥檚 Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 on December 8, 2021, which sentenced 20 of the 25 accused students to death. The remaining five were sentenced to life imprisonment.
Abrar Fahad was brutally beaten to death on October 7, 2019, by leaders and activists of the BUET chapter of the Bangladesh Chhatra League, reportedly in response to his Facebook posts criticising the government鈥檚 deals with India.
His murder, which occurred during the regime of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, sparked widespread protests both at home and abroad.
Abrar鈥檚 father, Barkat Ullah, filed a case against 19 students, with police later submitting a chargesheet against 25.
The tribunal sentenced the following students to death: Mehedi Hasan Russel, Muntassir Alam Jemmy, Khandaker Tabakkharul Islam Tanvir, ASM Nazmus Sadat, Md Mizanur Rahman Mizan, Shamsul Arefin Rafat, Md Shamim Billah, Md Mazedur Rahman Mazed, Hossain Mohammad Toha, Md Moniruzzaman Monir, Md Mehedi Hasan Robin (aka Shanta), Muzahidur Rahman, Anik Sarker Apu, Md Meftahul Islam Jeon, Ifti Mosharraf Sakal, SM Mahmud Setu, Morshed Amatya Islam, Morshed-Uz-zaman Jisan, Ehteshamul Rabbi Tanim, and Mostaba Rafid.
