The appeals and death reference for the convicts sentenced to death in the case of the murder of BUET student Abrar Fahad will be heard soon as stated by the Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman. While speaking to journalists at his office in the Supreme Court on Monday, he confirmed that steps are being taken to expedite the hearing.
The Attorney General stated that the prosecution is preparing the paper book for the appeal, and efforts are underway to ensure the hearing takes place swiftly after the upcoming court vacation. “So far, 19 appeals have been filed, but the paper book has yet to be completed. Prioritizing the preparation of the paper book is crucial in such a high-profile case, as both the plaintiff and the defendants deserve timely justice,” he added.
In October 2019, Abrar Fahad, a second-year student in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at BUET, was brutally beaten to death by a group of Bangladesh Chhatra League activists in the university’s Sher-e-Bangla Hall. On January 6, 2022, the death reference for the 20 individuals sentenced to death in the case was sent to the High Court for approval. The death reference, along with the 6,627-page case file from Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal-1, was submitted to the relevant High Court branch. Following this, the convicts filed criminal appeals and jail appeals seeking acquittal.
As per the Code of Criminal Procedure, a death sentence handed down by a lower court must be approved by a higher court. Convicted individuals are entitled to file criminal appeals and jail appeals before the higher court in response to the verdict.
