Abrar murder: 22 accused claim innocence in court

Twenty-two accused in the case over the murder of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) student Abrar Fahad have claimed they are innocent of the charges against them.

The accused submitted the claim in writing to Judge Abu Zafar Md Kamruzzaman of the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal 1 on Sunday, reports Bangla Tribune.

Afterwards, the judge asked them whether they would defend themselves in court. All but three of the accused — Md Meftahul Islam Jeon, Istiak Ahammed Munna and Mehedi Hasan Russel — refused to do so. The court fixed March 31 and April 1 for their defence.

Out of a total of 60 prosecution witnesses, 46 have testified in the case.

The tribunal on September 15, 2020 framed charges against all 25 accused in the murder case.

Earlier on November 13, 2019, a Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court took into cognizance the charge sheet in the case filed by the Detective Branch (DB) of police against the accused 25.

The case was later transferred to the speedy trial tribunal, allowing a plea from Abrar’s father.

The 25 accused are: Mehedi Hasan Russel, Anik Sarker, Ifti Mosharraf Sakal, Md Mehedi Hasan Robin, Md Meftahul Islam Jeon, Muntassir Alam Jemmy, Khandaker Tabakkharul Islam Tanvir, Md Muzahidur Rahman, Muhtasim Fuad, Md Moniruzzaman Monir, Md Akash Hossain, Hossain Mohammad Toha, Md Mazedul Islam, Shamim Billah, Moaj Abu Hurayra, ASM Nazmus Sadat, Istiak Ahammed Munna, Amit Saha, Md Mizanur Rahman alias Mizan, Shamsul Arefin Rafat, SM Mahmud Setu, Morsheduzzaman Jisan, Ehteshamul Rabbi Tanim, Morshed Amatya Islam and Mostaba Rafid. Among the 25, Jisan, Rafid and Tanim are yet to be arrested.

According to police, 11 of the 25 accused took part in the murder directly and the others played a role in the crime in one way or another. Among the arrestees, eight have given confessional statements before court.

Buet students and the university authorities found the seemingly lifeless body of Abrar, 22, on the first-floor stairs of Sher-e-Bangla Hall and rushed him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead around 6.30am on October 7, 2019.

Abrar’s father filed a case over his death with Chawkbazar police station against 19 people.