The High Court on Thursday commenced the hearing of the death reference in the murder case of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology鈥檚 student Abrar Fahad.
The reference involves death sentences of 20 expelled leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League. All were also BUET students.聽
The hearing also includes appeals filed by five former students sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder, and separate appeals of 17 detained death row convicts out of the 20 sentenced to death in the case.
On Thursday, the bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain began hearing the death reference and appeals and adjourned the hearing until December 4.
Deputy attorney general Jashim Uddin started reading the voluminous paper book.
The court rejected a defence prayer for a four-week adjournment filed by lawyer Md Masud Hasan Chowdhury Porag, who argued that he had received the paper book only the previous day.
Attorney general Md Asaduzzaman, representing the state, opposed the adjournment, urging an expedited hearing due to the public significance of the case.
Abrar Fahad was brutally beaten to death on October 7, 2019, inside his residence hall by leaders of the university鈥檚 BCL chapter.
The killing was reportedly triggered by Abrar鈥檚 Facebook posts criticising government agreements with India.
The incident sparked nationwide and international protests, marking a turning point in the political landscape of the country.
On August 6, 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.
On August 5, 2024, Sheikh Hasina was deposed as the prime minister, fled to India by helicopter through a 36-day student-led uprising.
A senior jail official confirmed that only 40 escapees were recaptured or voluntarily returned to custody.
The interim government, prioritising the Abrar Fahad case, ordered swift proceedings after the paper book for the case, spanning 11,000 pages, was prepared under the directive of chief justice Syed Refaat Ahmed.
Dhaka鈥檚 Speedy Trial Tribunal 1 sentenced 20 of the 25 accused to death on December 8, 2021, and handed life imprisonment to the remaining five.
The High Court received the death reference in January 2022.
The students sentenced to death by the tribunal are 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 got life imprisonment are Muhtasim Fuad, Md Akash Hossain, Moaj Abu Hurayra,聽 Amit Saha,聽 and Istiak Ahammed Munna.
Abrar鈥檚 father, Barkat Ullah, filed a case against 19 students, with police later submitting a charge sheet against 25.
The police investigation found Abrar was outspoken that made many angry with him, and he had no political affiliations.
On November 13, 2019, the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge鈥檚 Court took cognisance of the charge sheet filed by Detective Branch against the 25.
The case was later transferred to the Speedy Trial Tribunal following a plea of the complainant.
On September 15, 2020, the tribunal charged the 25 accused with murder and abatement to the murder.
Of the 25 accused, 11 accused took part in the murder directly and the others assisted the killing, the prosecutors had argued and sought the highest punishment for them.
