Appeal hearing for 20 defendants in Abrar murder case begins

The long-awaited appeals for 20 individuals sentenced to death in the tragic case of BUET student Abrar Fahad’s murder began today at the High Court.

The hearing, taking place on Monday, was led by Justice Asaduzzaman and Justice Enayet Hossain.

As the proceedings got underway, defense lawyers shared that the prosecution presented the official case documents, including the first information report (FIR), the charge sheet, the order for framing charges, and the witness testimonies as part of the paper book presentation.

Following this, the defense team will begin their presentation.

The horrifying incident took place on the night of October 6, 2019, when Abrar Fahad, a second-year student at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), was brutally beaten to death by leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) over suspicions of his involvement with Islami Chhatra Shibir.

In 2021, the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 sentenced 20 BUET students to death and five others to life imprisonment for their involvement in the crime.

Now, the High Court has commenced hearing the death reference, the process that reviews and confirms the death sentences.

Abrar’s murder sparked nationwide outrage and led to harsh criticism of the ruling Awami League government.

The incident also prompted BUET to ban student politics on its campus in response to the public outcry.