Dhaka, Oct 07 – The murder of Abrar, sparked protests by students of Buet and the universities of Dhaka, Rajshahi and Jahangirnagar demanding punishment of the killers.Abrar Fahad, a student of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) was beaten to death early yesterday by Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists.
Abrar Fahad, 21, a resident of Sher-e-Bangla Hall, was a second year student of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department.
In Dhaka University, the students led by DUCSU Vice President Nurul Haque Nur stood underneath the Raju sculpture carrying banners and chanting slogans demanding justice for Abrar.
Students of Buet and DU also brought out procession on their respective campuses after news of Abrar’s death spread.
In Rajshahi University, students staged an hour-long demonstration in front of the university’s main gate, Blocking Dhaka-Rajshahi highway starting from 1:30pm.
In Jahangirnagar University, students formed a human chain and staged demonstration protesting Abrar’s killing.
Abrar Fahad, a student of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology was found dead after Bangladesh Chhatra League men questioned him suspecting his involvement with Shibir.
A group of students of Islamic University of Kushtia put up a barricade on Kushtia-Khulna highway in front of the main gate of the varsity morning to protest Abara’s murder.
The students of Islamic University protested against the murder of Bangladesh Engineering University (BUET) student Abrar Fahad, 21, son of Barkatullah on PTI road in the town and blocked the Kushtia-Khulna highway demanding the trial of the killers. They blocked the highway from 9am to 5pm on Monday.
The general students of gathered in the premises of Zia Hall of the university on Monday afternoon and brought out a procession demanding immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the killers.
It caused intense traffic on both sides of the road following the protest rally. However, students were seen crossing ambulances and emergency transport at this time.
Abrar Fahad left behind his parents and younger brother to mourn his death. – Staff Reporter
In connection with the death, police detained nine BCL men of the BUET unit committee, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Additional Commissioner Krishanpad Rai confirmed.
“They are being questioned,” he said and added that the police was scrutinising the CCTV footages that they recovered.
Police detained Bangladesh Chhatra League’s (BCL’s) BUET unit General Secretary Mehedi Hassan Rasel, Vice President Mustakim Fuad, Assistant General Secretary Ashiqul Islam Bitu, Deputy Office Secretary Mujtaba Rafid, Deputy Social Welfare Secretary Ifti Mosharraf Shokal, Deputy Law Secretary Amit Shaha, Sports Secretary Sefayetul Islam Jion, Information and Research Secretary Anik Sarker and Library Affairs Secretary Ishtiaq Munshi.
Doctors at Dhaka Medical College Hospital said following his autopsy said, Abrar Fahad died of “internal bleeding and excessive pain” as he was badly beaten up by blunt objects such as cricket stumps or bamboo sticks.
He had enough “extensive bruises” on his hands, legs and back to cause death, Sohel Mahmud, head of Forensic Department of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) told the journalists.
Meanwhile, Abrar family members claimed that Abrar was a meritorious student of Buet and had no affiliation with Shibir.
“My son never became second in any examinations. He got chance wherever he applied including Dhaka University for higher education,” Abrar’s mother Rokeya Khatun with eye-full of tears told the media. Abrar’s family lives at a house at Kushtia town’s PTI road.
He had a long-cherished dream to become an acclaimed engineer since his childhood and to materialise his dream, Abrar worked very hard and finally got admitted at Buet, Rokeya said.
“I went to the bus station in person to see him off…He left Kushtia for Dhaka yesterday. I talked with him three to four times during his bus journey…he called me to inform that he reached the hall safely.”
Later, she called Abrar several times at night but did not get response.
Breaking down in tears, Abrar’s mother demanded the law enforcers to find out the killers immediately and brought them to book.
According to students of the hall, a group of students called Abrar around 8pm Sunday to room No 2011 and beat him indiscriminately with cricket stumps for his involvement with Chhatra Shibir politics.
Dr Masuk Elahi, a physician of the university, said, “I rushed to the hall after being informed by the students of the incident and found Abrar’s body lying on the ground. Several injury marks were found on his body.”
Deputy Police Commissioner of Lalbagh zone Kamal Hossain said, “Abrar’s body was taken to Dhaka Medical College morgue for autopsy. Necessary steps would be taken after investigation.”
Sher-e-Bangla Hall Provost Professor Zafor Iqbal said he had not yet received any official complaint regarding the issue. However, he assured all kind of assistance to police for investigation.
Ashikul Islam Bitu, joint secretary of the Buet Chhatra League, said, “We called up Abrar to the room to interrogate him about his involvement with Chhatra Shibir and found evidence after checking his Facebook account and messenger.
“I left the room after some time. Later, I heard that his body was found on the staircase. Buet Chhatra League leaders Muztoba Rafid, Ifty Mosharaf Sokal and Amit Saha were present during the quizzing,” the Chhatra League leader added.
On September 30 and October 5, Abrar posted on his personal Facebook account, criticising India-Bangladesh relationship.
In his last Facebook post, expressed his critical views concerning Bangladesh’s agreement with India which will allow the neighbouring country to withdraw water from Feni River.
On October 5, the day when Bangladesh and India signed several agreements including allowing India to withdraw 1.82 cusec water from Feni river, the deceased posted on Facebook stating three historical instances, in which Bangladesh failed to attain some achievements in interests like use of port, water sharing and export of energy resources from its neighbour.
Earlier, in a separate post published on September 30, Abrar portrayed his critical views regarding Bangladesh’s decision of exporting hilsa to India’s West Bengal.
Specialist in Criminal Law Dhaka University Professor Dr Muhammad Mahbubur Rahman stated,”No one can check social media accounts of another person. A university student can never interrogate another student. A person, unless he has committed an offence, can never be detained or handed over to police simply because he is suspected to be a member/activist of Shibir. These are the minimum standards of civilization.” – Staff Reporter
