Kushtia, Oct 9 (UNB) – Vice-chancellor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) Prof Saiful Islam was barred by agitated locals from meeting the family of Abrar Fahad at Raidanga village in Kumarkhali upazila on Wednesday.
The Buet VC set out for Kushtia from Dhaka in the morning to offer fateha at the grave of Abrar who was beaten to death reportedly by some Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders at a dormitory of the university, and convey his deep sympathy to the bereaved family members.
He along with Deputy Commissioner Aslam Hossain and Superintendent of Police of the district SM Tanvir Arafat reached the village around 4:30pm, met Abrar’s father Barkatullah and offered fateha at Abrar’s grave.
As the news spread around, angry locals gathered in front of Abrar’s house and chanted anti-VC slogans and demanded justice for Abrar.
They obstructed Prof Sirajul when he tried to enter the homestead to meet the family members.
Amid the resistance, he finally stepped back without meeting the family members.
After the VC’s departure, police charged baton on the agitating locals to disperse them, injuring four people, including Abrar’s brother Abrar Faiyaz.
Abrar, 21, was found dead on the staircase of Sher-e-Bangla Hall of the university early Monday after some BCL leaders beat him at room-2011 of the dormitory on Sunday night suspecting his link with Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir.
Meanwhile, a commemorating meeting on the Buet student was held at Kushtia Zilla School from where he passed his Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination. Huge people attended the programme.
Speaking at the event, Abrar’s father Barkatullah expressed dissatisfaction at the role of the Buet authorities over his son’s murder.
He also alleged that the names of most of those captured on the CCTV footage were dropped from the case. “The boy who led the torture was not made accused in the case.”
