Dhaka: The High Court (HC) today upheld the verdict of a lower court, which sentenced 20 individuals to death and five others to life imprisonment for their involvement in the killing of Abrar Fahad, a student at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the division bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain delivered the verdict after reviewing the convicts’ death references and jail appeals. The High Court had reserved the judgment on February 24, 2025, after concluding the legal arguments.
The state was represented by Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman along with deputy attorney generals Md Jasim Sarker, Khandaker Bahar Rumi, Nur Mohammad Azmi, and Russel Khandaker. Assistant attorney generals Abdul Jabbar Jewel, Laboni Akter, Tenvir Prodhan, and Sumaiya Binte Aziz also participated in the hearing. On the defense side, senior advocate SM Shahjahan, Azizur Rahman Dulu, Masud Hasan Chowdhury, and Mohammad Shishir Manir stood for the accused.
The individuals sentenced to death include Mehedi Hasan Russel, Anik Sarker Opu, Ifti Mosharraf Sakal, Md Mehedi Hasan Robin, Md Meftahul Islam Jeon, Muntassir Alam Jemmy, Khandaker Tabakkharul Islam Tanvir, Md Muzahidur Rahman, and Md Moniruzzaman Monir, among others. Those who received life imprisonment sentences are Muhtasim Fuad, Moaj Abu Hurayra, Istiak Ahammed Munna, Amit Saha, and Md Akash Hossain. Each of the life awardees was also fined Taka 50 thousand, with an additional year of imprisonment in case of non-payment.
Following the verdict, Abrar Fahad’s father, Barkat Ullah, expressed satisfaction with the High Court’s decision and urged authorities to carry out the sentence without delay once all legal formalities are fulfilled.
Abrar Fahad was killed on October 7, 2019, by leaders of the then BUET unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) due to his Facebook posts. His body was discovered by BUET students and university authorities on the stairs of Sher-e-Bangla Hall and was later declared dead at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
The initial case was filed by Abrar’s father against 19 BCL activists at Chawkbazar police station. Following an investigation, six additional names were added to the list of accused. On December 8, 2021, Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 sentenced 20 individuals to death and five to life imprisonment. The tribunal noted that the assault on Abrar was based on unfounded allegations of his association with Islami Chhtra Shibir.
The court emphasized that the severe punishments were meant to deter similar incidents in the future.