Abrar murder: Arrest warrant against 4 fugitive accused

A Dhaka court today accepted the charge sheet against 25 accused in connection with a case filed over the killing of Buet student Abrar Fahad.

The court also issued an arrest warrant against four fugitive accused as the investigation officer showed them absconding in the charge sheet.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Kaiserrul Islam passed the order after scrutinising the case docket and other relevant documents.

The court fixed December 3 for the submission of reports on the execution on arrest warrant. 

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I want death penalty for my son’s killers

Abrar, a second-year student of Buet’s electrical and electronic engineering department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), was beaten to death by a group of BCL men at the university’s Sher-e-Bangla Hall early October 7.

On November 13, Inspector Mohammad Wahiduzaman of Detective Branch, also the investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet to Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in Dhaka.

Of the 25 charge-sheeted accused, 17 were members of the Buet BCL unit. Most of them have been expelled by the pro-Awami League student body.

Buet suspended 19 of the accused.

Eleven of the 25 directly took part in the killing as they either hit Abrar with cricket stumps, skipping rope or slapped him for hours, leading to his death, according to investigators.

The 14 others abetted the killing either by instigating it or calling Abrar to the room where he was tortured or by carrying the unconscious victim to another room and finally to the staircase landing, they added.

Of the 25 charge-sheeted accused, 21 have been arrested and four are on the run.

The murder triggered a firestorm of protests on campuses across the country. Many took to social media to demand justice for Abrar.

In the face of protests, the Buet authorities banned all political activities on the campus in October.

The arrested charge-sheeted accused include Buet BCL General Secretary Mehedi Hasan Russel, Information and Research Secretary Anik Sarkar, Deputy Social Welfare Secretary Ifti Mosharraf Shokal, Organising Secretary Mehedi Hasan Robein, Sports Secretary Meftahul Islam Zion, Joint General Secretary Muhtasim Fuad, Literature Secretary Moniruzzaman Monir, Publication Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed Munna, Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary Amit Saha, vice-president SM Mahmud alias Setu, and BCL members of the unit Muntasir Al Jemi, Khandaker Tabakkarul Islam Tanvir, Mujahidur Rahman, Akash Hossain, Hossain Mohammad Toha, Mujahidur Rahman, Shamim Billah, Moaz Abu Hurayra, ASM Nazmus Sadat, Mizanur Rahman alias Mizan and Shamsul Arefin Rafath.

Four accused -- the BCL unit Deputy Office Secretary Mustafa Rafid and its members Morsheduzzaman Jishan, Ehtashamul Rabbi Tanim and Morshed Amartya Islam -- are absconding.

Abrar’s father Barkatullah filed a murder case against 19 Buet students on October 7 with Chawkbazar Police Station. All of them are among the charge-sheeted accused.

Eight of the accused made confessional statements before magistrates narrating the horrifying torture. Sixty people are prosecution witnesses in the case.