Abrar Murder Case: 22 accused claim innocence

Twenty-two accused in Abrar Fahad murder case yesterday claimed innocence and demanded justice, after a Dhaka tribunal read out the charges from statements of 45 prosecution witnesses. 

Judge Abu Zafar Md Kamruzzaman of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 recorded their self-defence statements for over two hours.

After recording their statements, the judge fixed March 31 for the defence witnesses.

During yesterday's hearing, 22 accused, who are now behind bars, were produced before the tribunal.

Earlier, the tribunal recorded 46 prosecution witnesses, including the complainant of the case.

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

On October 7, 2019, Abrar, a second-year student of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), was beaten to death by a reported group of Buet unit Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) men in a dormitory.

Abrar's father Barkatullah filed a murder case on October 7 that year 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 on campus, 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 were made accused in the case.

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 that year.

Of them, 22 accused were earlier arrested and 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.