HC verdict next week, BUET students hold protest
The Department of Prisons early Tuesday admitted that Muntasir Al Jamie, one of the 20 death row convicts in the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology student Abrar Fahad murder case, fled the Kashimpur High Security Jail on August 6, 2024.
Abrar Fahad, was brutally beaten to death inside his residence hall on October 7, 2019, by leaders of the聽 university Chhatra League unit after he posted comments on Facebook criticising Bangladesh鈥檚 agreements with India.
On Tuesday, the High Court had set to deliver its verdict next week on the death reference and appeals in the Abrar Fahad murder case.
A bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain concluded the hearing on the reference for 20 death-row convicts and the appeals of five others serving life sentences.
The bench informed the lawyers that the verdict could be announced any day in the following week.
During the final arguments, senior lawyer SM Shajahan urged the court to reduce the death sentences to life imprisonment if acquittal was not granted.
Attorney general Md Asaduzzaman, on the other hand argued for upholding the trial court鈥檚 verdict, which sentenced 20 individuals to death and five others to life imprisonment.
Muntasir Al Jamie, fled the jail along with 202 prisoners, including 87 death row convicts, the department added.
The jail authorities made the disclosure an hour after a protest was organised by the BUET students on Monday night over the incident.
The protest began at about 11:00pm on Monday and the protesters brought out a procession from BUET Shaheed Minar which after parading roads of different residence halls reached the Anti-Violence Raju Memorial Sculpture on the Dhaka University campus at midnight.
The protesting students alleged that it was an act of betrayal of justice and a shame for the country鈥檚 judicial system.聽
Md Jannatul Farhad, assistant inspector general for media of the Department of Prisons, in a release claimed that they had arrested 51 prisoners, including 35 death row convicts and sent them to jail.
He also said that 21 out of 22 prisoners in the Abrar Fahad murder case were now in jail.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that prisoners broke out of jail following the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina-led government amid a student-led mass uprising on August 5.
