Abrar’s murder charge sheet in quick time

The investigating agencies deserve compliments for submitting the charge sheet in the cold-blooded, brutal killing of Abrar Fahad. It was done in five weeks, a relatively short time given our experience in case of other high-profile and sensational killings. This was made possible because of the priority accorded to this case. We would hope that all cases of killings would receive similar consideration. We also thank the law minister for his assurance that the case would be tried in the speedy trial tribunal and completed in three and a half months.  

However, we feel that the investigation report reveals much more than merely the killers and the circumstances of the killing. Firstly, it exposes the unbridled profligate behaviour of the BCL which is fairly representative of its behaviour in most of the public universities. It would not be remiss to say that their unruly behaviour has been driven by an aura of impunity that the BCL existed in without anybody realising the grave injury that it was doing to the academic environment in general.

Secondly, Abrar's killing shows the level the so-called student politics has degenerated into. Chhatra League's conduct has given a bad name to student politics. Their behaviour has nothing to do with either students or politics and everything to do with highhandedness, extortion, suppression of the rights of other students to ventilate their demands, and in certain cases, acting as an auxiliary of the law enforcement agencies.

And finally, the killing exposes the shoddy administration of Buet. That too is the trend that one notices in several other public universities. It is shocking to see the university administration abandoning their duty towards other students by turning a blind eye to the criminal activities of BCL on the campus.

It would be advisable for the administration and the Awami League to draw the essential lessons from the investigation report and take action to reform its student wing.