Wikipedia

Murder of Abrar Fahad

Abrar Fahad (February 12, 1998 – October 7, 2019) was a second-year student in the Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) department at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). He was brutally tortured and killed inside BUET's Sher-e-Bangla Hall by leaders associated with BUET's Chhatra League, a student political organization. The incident sparked national outrage and led to protests against campus violence. Abrar's murderers were later sentenced to death following a highly publicized trial.[1][2] An autopsy report later confirmed that Fahad died as a result of severe blunt force trauma.[3][4]

Abrar Fahad
Abrar Fahad
BornFebruary 12, 1998
Kushtia, Bangladesh
DiedOctober 7, 2019(2019-10-07) (aged 21)
Sher-e-bangla Hall, BUET, Dhaka
Cause of deathMurdered by Bangladesh Chhatra League activists
NationalityBangladeshi
EducationElectrical and Electronics Engineering, BUET & Notre Dame College, Dhaka

Early life and education

edit

Abrar Fahad was born on February 12, 1998, in Kushtia, Bangladesh. He excelled academically at Notre Dame College in Dhaka, ranking among the top 20 students from the Dhaka Board in Higher Secondary School Certificate Examination. He began his studies at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) on March 31, 2018.[citation needed].

At the time of his death, Fahad was a second-year (Term 1) student of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

Death

edit

On Sunday night, October 6, 2019, at around 8 pm, third-year students summoned Fahad and other second-year students to room 2011 of Sher-e-Bangla Hall, as reported by Ashikul Islam Bitu, a second-year Chemical Engineering student and assistant secretary of BUET Chhatra League. Anick Sarker, the information and research affairs secretary of BUET Chhatra League and a fourth-year Mechanical Engineering student, along with Amit Shaha, the deputy law affairs secretary of the same unit, led the attack and severely assaulted Abrar.[5] Police discovered Abrar's body at around 3 am on Monday on the ground floor of Sher-e-Bangla Hall. He was pronounced dead by BUET Medical Officer Dr. Md Mashuk Elahi. Footage from a closed-circuit camera on the second floor of the residential hall showed several individuals dragging Abrar down the corridor by his hands and feet.

Facebook involvement

edit

He was killed for his views condemning the recent India-Bangladesh accord (September - October 2019).[6]

Aftermath

edit

Students at universities across the country, including BUET and Dhaka University, staged demonstrations on their campuses, demanding severe punishment for the perpetrators responsible for Abrar Fahad's death.[7][8][9][10][11]

At Dhaka University, students gathered for a protest rally at the anti-terrorism Raju sculpture.

At Jahangirnagar University, teachers and students both formed a human chain on campus, demanding capital punishment of the Abrar's killers.

At Khulna University, students formed a human chain at the main gate of the university, blocked highways in front of their campus and tied their faces with black badges to protest Abrar's murder[12]

 
A Protester protests demanding justice for Abrar Fahad.

At Rajshahi University, students protested by blocking the Rajshahi-Dhaka highway for half an hour.

At Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, students formed a human chain in front of main gate of the campus in Sylhet. The students later brought out a protest rally which paraded Sylhet-Sunamganj highway.[13]

At Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, students formed a human chain at the campus' main gate in Sylhet and later organized a protest rally along the Sylhet-Sunamganj highway.

The BUET authorities banned all political activities on the campus and temporarily suspended 19 students, mostly leaders of the university's BCL unit, accused in Abrar Fahad killing case.[14]

In 2024, renewed attempt by BCL to enter politics into BUET has been met with strong university wide opposition in the form of protests and boycott of academic processes.[15]

International response

edit

UN, UK, Germany, France & US have strongly condemned the brutal murder of Abrar Fahad.[16][17][18]

Trial

edit

Eighteen members of the BUET Chhatra League have been detained in connection with the murder.[19][20][21][22]

On 8 December 2021, a Bangladesh court sentenced 20 university students to death and five more to life imprisonment for killing Fahad.[23]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Abrar Fahad: Killing of Bangladesh student triggers protests". BBC News. Archived from the original on 3 December 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  2. ^ "9 held over Buet student Abrar murder". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 8 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  3. ^ "Autopsy report: Abrar was beaten to death". Dhaka Tribune. 7 October 2019. Archived from the original on 8 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  4. ^ "Buet student beaten to death: Critical FB post costs him his life?". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 15 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  5. ^ "Abrar murder: Nine held, case filed against 19". Dhaka Tribune. Archived from the original on 8 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  6. ^ "BUET student 'beaten dead' in dorm". Prothom Alo. Archived from the original on 8 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  7. ^ "Bangladesh Student Killing Sparks University Protests". VOA. Archived from the original on 8 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  8. ^ "Abrar Fahad: Killing of Bangladesh student triggers protests". BBC News. Archived from the original on 10 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  9. ^ "Student's murder triggers protest in Bangladesh". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 8 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  10. ^ "Bangladesh student killing: Thousands protest ..." Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 7 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  11. ^ "DU students protest BUET student Fahad's murder". Banglanews24.com. Archived from the original on 7 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  12. ^ "Buet student Abrar murder sparks nationwide protests". The Business Standard. Archived from the original on 8 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  13. ^ "Univ students countrywide protest at Abrar murder". Prothom Alo. Archived from the original on 8 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  14. ^ "Political activities banned at Buet". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 12 October 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  15. ^ Report, Star Digital (2024-03-30). "Buet protest: What are the six demands of protesters?". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  16. ^ "International communities condemn Abrar's murder: Statements issued by UN, UK, Germany". Dhaka Tribune. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  17. ^ "Abrar murder: French embassy urges quick punishment of killers". Dhaka Tribune. Archived from the original on 10 October 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  18. ^ "Shocked by Abrar's murder, US ambassador calls for a 'full investigation'". bdnews24.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  19. ^ "Abrar Fahad murder: Father initiates case accusing 19". The Financial Express. Dhaka. Archived from the original on 8 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  20. ^ "Buet protesters won't budge". The Daily Star. 11 October 2019. Archived from the original on 12 October 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  21. ^ "Abrar murder: 2 more accused held in Sylhet, Satkhira". The Daily Star. 11 October 2019. Archived from the original on 12 October 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  22. ^ "Police arrest slain BUET student Abrar's roommate Mizanur". bdnews24.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  23. ^ Mahmud, Faisal. "Bangladesh sentences 20 to death for student murder". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
edit
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Protests against Murder of Abrar Fahad.
Retrieved from "https://en.luquay.com/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Abrar_Fahad&oldid=1230923336"