Abrar Murder: 22 accused file no-confidence petition against tribunal judge

Twenty-two accused persons in Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) student Abrar Fahad murder case, now in jail, yesterday brought a no-confidence petition against the judge of Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 of Dhaka.

The defence lawyers for the accused submitted a petition saying that the judge recorded statements of the prosecution witnesses in accordance with the law, but he did not record their statements properly while cross-examining the witnesses.

So they apprehend that they would not get justice from the tribunal, the defence lawyers also stated in their petition.

They will submit an application with the High Court for transfer of the case, they added.

The prosecution opposed it saying that the defence submitted such petition only to hamper the trial.

After hearing both sides, Judge Abu Zafar Md Kamruzzaman fixed December 6 for hearing on the petition.

The same tribunal on September 15 framed charges against all 25 accused in the case.

Forty out 60 prosecution witnesses, including complainant of the case, so far gave their depositions in the case.

On October 7 last year, Abrar, a second-year student of Buet, was beaten to death by a group of Buet unit Chhatra League men in a dormitory.

Abrar's father Barkatullah filed a murder case in this regard on October 7 with Chawkbazar Police Station.

The incident triggered a firestorm of protests on campuses across the country. Many took to social media to demand justice for Abrar.

Amid protests, Buet authorities on October 11 banned all political activities on the campus and suspended 19 students, mostly leaders of the university's BCL unit who have been made accused in Abrar Fahad killing case.

Eight of the accused gave their confessional statements before separate magistrates narrating the horrifying torture on different days last year.

Inspector Md Wahiduzaman of Detective Branch of police submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Dhaka against 25 Buet students on November 13 last year.

Of them, 22 accused were earlier arrested and they were remanded several times. During the investigation, eight of the accused gave confessional statements to magistrates on different dates.

Three other accused -- Mustaba Rafid, Muhammad Morshed-Uz-Zaman Mondol alias Jishan and Ehtashamul Rabbi Tanim have been absconding since the incident.