"We did not think even a year ago that the High Court verdict would be delivered so soon. It may have been possible because of the changeover on August 5 last year. However, there is still a lot to be done."

— Abrar Faiyaz, younger brother of Abrar Fahad

The High Court yesterday upheld the death sentences handed by the trial court to 20 Buet students and life imprisonment of five others convicted of killing Abrar Fahad in 2019.

Abrar, a student of electrical and electronics engineering at Buet, died after he was brutally beaten by the now banned Bangladesh Chhatra League men at a dormitory of the university in the early hours of October 7, 2019.

A Dhaka court on December 8, 2021, delivered verdict in the case.

Yesterday, the HC bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain accepted the death reference (trial court documents for confirmation of death sentences) and dismissed the appeals filed by the convicts.

Citing the documents, the HC said the accused in connivance with each other killed Abrar and nobody came to save him.

The detailed observations on which the HC came up with the verdict will be known when its full text is released, Deputy Attorney General Jashim Sarker told The Daily Star.

After the HC delivered the verdict, Abrar's father Barkat Ullah told reporters on the Supreme Court premises that he hoped the verdict would be implemented without delay.

Abrar Fahad's younger brother Abrar Faiyaz said, "We did not think even a year ago that the High Court verdict would be delivered so soon. It may have been possible because of the changeover on August 5 last year. However, there is still a lot to be done."

He added that if the verdicts are implemented fast, it will act as a deterrent.

"No one else should have the same fate as Abrar Fahad."

Attorney General Asaduzzaman expressed satisfaction at the HC verdict, saying the concept for bringing discipline to the state and society and ensuring justice was established.

Azizur Rahman Dulu, lawyer for convicts Morshed Amartya Islam and Meftahul Islam Zion, told The Daily Star that his clients were deprived of justice because they were not involved in the torture or murder.

"We will move appeals on behalf of my clients before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court against the High Court verdict once we receive the full text. After the appeals are filed, the execution of the death sentence will be suspended," he said.

If the verdict on the appeal goes against his clients, they will file review petitions before the Appellate Division, the lawyer said.

If the review petitions are dismissed, those sentenced to death can seek the president's mercy.

The convicts sentenced to death are Mehedi Hasan Russel, former general secretary of Buet Chhatra League; Mehedi Hasan Robin, ex-organising secretary; Anik Sarkar Apu, ex-information and research secretary; Moniruzzaman Monir, ex-literature secretary; Meftahul Islam Zion, ex-sports secretary; Ifti Mosharraf Shokal, ex-deputy social welfare secretary; Mustaba Rafid, ex-deputy office secretary; former members Mujahidur Rahman Mujahid, Muntasir Al Jemy and Ehtashamul Rabbi Tanim; activists Khandaker Tabakkarul Islam Tanvir, ASM Nazmus Sadat, Majedur Rahman alias Majed, Hossain Mohammad Toha, Shamim Billah, Mizanur Rahman Mizan, SM Mahmud Setu, Shamsul Arefin Rafat, Muhammad Morshed-Uz-Zaman Mondol and Morshed Amartya Islam.

Buet BCL's former vice-president Muhtasim Fuad, former library and publication secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed Munna, former deputy legal affairs secretary Amit Saha and activists Akash Hossain and Moaz Abu Hurayra were sentenced to life in prison.

Read more

Abrar's father urges students not to engage in bad politics

Among the convicts, Mustaba, Jishan and Tanim have been absconding while Muntasir Al Jemy, sentenced to death, escaped from Kashimpur Central Jail on August 6, a day after the fall of the Awami League regime. Abrar's family did not know that he had escaped until February 24 this year.

Abrar's brother Faiyaz said he did not know why the information was disclosed after six months.

On the night of October 6, 2019, the convicts began torturing Abrar with skipping ropes and cricket stumps at his dorm room. They kept hitting him up until early morning even though the 21-year-old threw up, urinated, and pleaded for water.

His battered body was found by several students under the staircase of the dormitory early in the morning. The killing sparked widespread student demonstrations, compelling the Buet administration to ban political activities on the campus.

Abrar's father Barkat filed a murder case with Chawkbazar Police Station the next day.

According to the charge sheet, the accused held meetings for two consecutive days with the sole intention to beat Abrar to death.

The documents of the case reached the HC on January 6, 2022, as death references to examine the lower court's verdict. The HC bench led by Justice AKM Asaduzzaman began the hearing on the death references and appeals on November 28 last year.

At the appeal hearings, the prosecutors were Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman, deputy attorneys general Jasim Sarker, Khandaker Bahar Rumi, Nur Muhammad Azmi and Rasel Ahmed, and assistant attorneys general Abdul Jabbar Jewel, Laboni Akhter, Tanvir Prodhan and Sumaiya Binte Aziz.

On the other hand, lawyers SM Shahjahan, Azizur Rahman Dulu, Masud Hasan Chowdhury and Mohammad Shishir Manir represented the convicts.