One year of Abrar murder Father seeks justice in court
The trial of BUET student Abrar Fahad murder case has begun as a year has passed after the brutal killing at the Bangladesh University of Engineering Technology hostel by activists of Bangladesh Chahtra League, the ruling Awami League’s student body.
The murder sparked countrywide street protests and condemnations.
Abrar, 21, a second-year electrical and electronic engineering student at the university, was beaten to death at the university’s Sher-e-Bangla Hall on early hours of October 7 apparently for his critical views on the government posted on social media.
Defence lawyers of the accused in BUET student Abrar Fahad murder case cross-examined the complainant Md Barkat Ullah, also father of Abrar, on Tuesday as the trial continued for the second day at a Dhaka tribunal.
During Monday’s court proceeding, cross-examinations by the defence lawyers of seven accused were completed while another was partially completed, said court officials.
His cross-examination by the lawyers of the rest of the accused was completed on Tuesday, court officials added.
As his cross-examination ended by the defence lawyers on Tuesday, Barkat looked at the judge and sought justice.
The trial of the 25 accused in the Abrar murder case began at a Dhaka tribunal with the deposition of the complainant on Monday.
The court fixed today for the next hearing of the case as the case recording officer and the police officer who conducted inquest report of Abrar were summoned to give their testimonies, said Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 special public prosecutor Abu Abdullah Bhuiyan.
The tribunal judge Abu Zafar Mohammad Kamruzzaman on Tuesday began cross-examining the defence side.
Lawyers of some accused cross-examined at the deposition of the complainant.
Lawyer of one of the accused Amit Saha, expelled deputy law secretary of BCL BUET unit, however, declined to cross-examine.
Amit Saha’s lawyer Munzur Alam declined to interrogate Abrar’s father as he did not mention Amit’s name among the list of killers.
Meanwhile, in his statement, the complainant told the court that he came to know from people that some students of BUET’s Sher-e-Bangla Hall, in a pre-planned way, beat his son Abrar Fahad to death.
Later he came to Dhaka and discussed with some students and teachers and also came to know from CCTV footage that 19 students beat up his son mercilessly with cricket stumps and sticks, sometime between 8:05pm on October 6 and 2:30am on October 7, 2019, according to the statement.
The killing that took place after Abrar’s Facebook posting containing his critical views on India-Bangladesh deal triggered nationwide protests.
On November 13, 2019, the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police submitted the charge sheet against 25 accused, naming 60 prosecution witnesses.
According to the charge sheet, Abrar was tortured in room No 2005 and the perpetrators branded him as a supporter of Islami Chhatra Shibir.
As his condition deteriorated, the students called the BUET physician, who is also a prosecution witness, declared him dead and declined to carry him to the medical centre.
Twenty three of the accused are now in jail while three others have been absconding since the case was filed.
In a message on Tuesday, BUET recalled the memory of Abrar Fahad marking the first anniversary of his death calling it an ‘unexpected and sad incident of murder’.
News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net
