Abrar Murder Case Verdict on November 28

A tribunal has fixed November 28 for announcing the verdict in the murder case of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) student Abrar Fahad.

Judge Abu Jafar Mohammad Kamruzzaman of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 set the date for the verdict on Sunday (November 14) after presenting arguments of the state and the accused.

Special Public Prosecutor of the court Abu Abdullah Bhuiyan told the media that the court on Sunday directed to end the presentation of arguments in favor of accused Mohammad Mujahidur Rahman. After that, the state will present arguments for two or three days. The court will set a date for the verdict after the presentation of arguments of both the parties.

Out of the total 25 accused in the case, arguments have been presented for 24 of them. Today, 22 accused detained in jail were produced in court. After that, in their presence, the accused Anik's lawyer finished his argument. At that time, the court directed to finish presenting arguments on behalf of accused Mujahidur Rahman next Sunday.

On October 24, the state's chief prosecutor, Mosharraf Hossain Kajal, demanded the death penalty for 25 people, including three fugitives, in an argument. After that, the arguments of this case started to be presented from last 25th October.

Earlier, on September 14, the judge read out the allegations against the accused and the testimony of 46 witnesses. At this time the judge asked them, are you guilty or innocent? In reply, they claimed their innocence and demanded justice from the court. The court then fixed the date for presentation of arguments.

The court was scheduled to present its arguments on September 8. However, the prosecution again sought a hearing on the allegations. The court granted the application and re-framed charges against the accused.

On October 5, the plaintiff and Abrar's father Barkatullah testified in the court. With this, the testimony of this case started. Then on January 24, the investigating officer Mohammad Wahiduzzaman testified in court as the last witness in the case. The testimony of the case ended on March 4 through the interrogation of the investigating officer.

Some leaders and activists of BUET Chhatra League called Abrar Fahad on the night of October 6, 2019 for criticizing Bangladesh's various agreements with India on Facebook. His body was recovered from the corridor of the second floor of Sher-e-Bangla Hall at around 3 pm on the same day.

The next day, at noon on October 7, the autopsy of Abrar's body was completed at the Dhaka Medical College (DMC) Hospital morgue. The deceased was identified as Abrar, a second-year student at BUET's Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. He lived in room 1011 of Sher-e-Bangla Hall.

Abrar's father Barkat Ullah filed a murder case against 19 people at Chawkbazar police station. On November 13, 2019, Wahiduzzaman, the investigating officer of the case, filed a chargesheet against 25 people in the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate's Court.

Among the 25 accused, 19 have been FIR-registered in the case and six others are arrested after investigation. 17 of the 19 FIR-registered and five of the six non-FIR-registered have been arrested. Eight of the arrested have given confessional statements in court.

22 arrested are Mehedi Hasan Russell, Md. Anik Sarkar, Ifti Musharraf Sokal, Md. Mehedi Hasan Robin, Meftahul Islam Zion, Muntasir Alam Jemi, Khandaker Tabakhkharul Islam Tanvir, Mujahidur Rahman, Muhtasim Fauad, Moniruzzaman Monir, Akash Hossain, Hossain Mohammad Toha, Majedur Rahman, Shamim Billah, Moaz Abu Hurayra, ASM Nazmus Sadat, Ishitak Ahmed Munna, Amit Saha, Mizanur Rahman alias Mizan, Shamsul Arefin Rafat, Morshed Islam and SM Mahmud Setu.

Three accused in the case are still absconding. They are Morsheduzzaman Jisan, Ehteshamul Rabbi Tanim and Mostaba Rafid. The first two of them are among FIR-registered and the last two are non- FIR-registered.