Today marks the seventh death anniversary of Abrar Fahad, a student at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), who died early on 7 October 2019 after being subjected to torture by Chhatra League leaders and activists at the university’s Sher-e-Bangla Hall.
Although a court awarded death penalty in the murder case, the verdict remains unexecuted seven years on, leaving his family in deep distress and frustration over the failure to arrest absconding accused and execute capital punishment.
A solemn atmosphere of grief has once again descended on Abrar’s family home on PTI Road in Kushtia, where his laptop and mobile phone kept in a showcase, reading table, books, and notebooks remain arranged exactly as he left them seven years ago when bidding farewell to his mother for Dhaka.
On 6 October 2019, before boarding a bus from Kushtia to Dhaka, Abrar was fed by his mother, Rokeya Khatun, which turned out to be their final meeting before news of his death reached the family early the following morning.
Every death anniversary revives memories of that final meal, his last conversation with his father, and his departure for Dhaka, leaving an unfilled void in the family.
Rokeya is currently suffering from physical illness and resides in Dhaka with Abrar’s younger brother, Abrar Faiyaz.
Following his elder brother’s murder, Faiyaz gained admission to Buet and is currently a second-year student in the Mechanical Engineering department, carrying forward his brother’s memory and unfulfilled dream at the same institution.
Meanwhile, Abrar’s 105-year-old grandfather, Abdul Gafur, expressed his desire to see justice served before his death. He hopes to witness the execution of the punishment for Abrar’s killers.
Abrar’s father, Barkat Ullah, said, “Seven long years have passed, yet the absconding accused have not been arrested, and the death sentence has not been executed.”
“Alongside building the discrimination-free Bangladesh for which Abrar was martyred, we want to see rapid execution of death penalty for the accused,” he added.
Locally, Sultan Maruf Talha, an advisor to “Shaheed Abrar Fahad Smriti Granthagar” (Martyr Abrar Fahad Memorial Library), along with residents, also demanded the justice for Abrar.
The 2019 killing triggered widespread anger and protests across the country. However, as the absconding convicts remain at large and capital punishment has not been carried out, the judicial process remains incomplete to Abrar’s family.
