The High Court may announce the verdict today, Sunday (March 16), on the death reference (approval of death sentence), jail appeals, and appeals of the accused in the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) student Abrar Fahad murder case.
The bench of Justices AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain has the death reference, appeals, and jail appeals of the accused listed for verdict in Sunday's (today's) cause list.
On October 6, 2019, the body of Abrar Fahad, a second-year student of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, was recovered from BUET's Sher-e-Bangla Hall. A murder case was filed by Abrar's father at Chawkbazar Police Station.
After investigating the case, the police submitted a charge sheet in court on November 13, 2019, against 25 BUET students. It stated, "The accused, in collusion, brutally beat and killed Abrar by raising false, fabricated, and baseless allegations suspecting him to be a member of Chhatra Shibir." The court took cognizance of the charge sheet and framed charges against the accused on September 15, 2020.
In any criminal case, if a trial court sentences someone to death, it requires approval from the High Court, which is known as a death reference case. Additionally, the accused can file jail appeals and regular appeals against the sentence. Typically, the High Court hears the death reference and these appeals together.
Sentences of 20 to Death and 5 to Life Imprisonment
On December 8, 2021, the court sentenced 20 people to death and 5 people to life imprisonment in the Abrar Fahad murder case. Judge Abu Jafar Md. Kamruzzaman of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 announced this verdict.
The death-sentenced accused are—BUET Chhatra League General Secretary Mehedi Hasan Russell (CE Department, 13th batch), Organizing Secretary Mehedi Hasan Robin (Chemical Engineering Department, 15th batch), Information and Research Secretary Anik Sarkar Opu (Mechanical Engineering, 15th batch), Literary Secretary Moniruzzaman Monir (Water Resources Engineering, 16th batch), Sports Secretary Meftahul Islam Jiyon (Marine Engineering, 15th batch), Deputy Social Welfare Secretary Ifti Mosharraf Sokal (Biomedical Engineering, 16th batch), member Muntasir Al Jemi (MI Department), member Mozahidur Rahman (EEE Department, 16th batch), member Hossain Mohammad Toha (ME Department, 17th batch), member Ehteshamul Rabbi Tanim (CE Department, 17th batch), Shamim Billah (Marine Engineering Department, 17th batch), Mazedur Rahman Mazed (MME Department, 17th batch), Khandaker Tabbakkharul Islam Tanvir (Mechanical, 17th batch), Muhammad Morshed-uz-Zaman Mondal Jisan (EEE Department, 16th batch), SM Najmus Sadat (ME Department, 17th batch), Morshed Omartya Islam (ME Department, 17th batch), Mizanur Rahman (Water Resources, 16th batch), Shamsul Arefin Rafat (Mechanical Engineering), Deputy Office Secretary Mujtaba Rafid (Chemical Engineering), and SM Mahamud Setu (Chemical Engineering).
The 5 accused sentenced to life imprisonment are—BUET Chhatra League Vice-President Muhtasim Fuad (14th batch, CE Department), Publication Secretary Istiaq Ahmed Munna (Mechanical, 3rd year), Deputy Law Secretary Amit Saha (Civil Engineering), member Akash Hossain (CE Department, 16th batch), and Moaz Abu Horayra (CSE, 17th batch).
