Trial of Abrar Farhad murder case deferred till October 5

A Dhaka tribunal today deferred to October 5 the trial of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) student Abrar Fahad murder case against 25 accused as the complainant was unwell.

The prosecution submitted a petition, saying that Md Barkatullah, father of the victim and also the complainant of the case, have been suffering from jaundice. So, the hearing should be adjourned, the prosecution said.

The complainant was present in the court today but he was not in a position to give deposition while 22 accused, now in jail, were produced before the court.

On September 15, the same tribunal framed charges against all 25 accused in the case.

Abrar, a second-year student of electrical and electronic engineering department of Buet, died after he was brutally beaten, allegedly by some Chhatra League men at Sher-e-Bangla hall of the university in the early hours of October 7, 2019.

Later, his father filed the case with Chawkbazar Police Station against 19 Buet BCL leaders.

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

Amid protest on the campus, Buet authorities on October 11 banned all political activities on the campus and suspended 19 students, mostly leaders of the university's BCL unit who have been made accused in Abrar Fahad killing case.

On November 13 last year, detectives submitted a 105-page charge sheet against 25 Buet students in connection with the murder case.

Of them, 22 accused were earlier arrested and they were remanded several times. During the investigation, eight of the accused gave confessional statements to magistrates on different dates.

Three of the accused have been absconding since the incident.