TDS Desk:

The High Court on Tuesday issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why the court should not order them to provide Tk 10 crore in compensation to the family of martyred BUET student Abrar Fahad.

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) authorities and the government have been named as respondents to the ruling.

Abrar was beaten to death by Chhatra League men in 2019 over his anti-Awami League posts on Facebook. The posts were critical of Awami League’s controversial pro-India policies.

On December 8, 2021, a Dhaka court sentenced 20 BUET Chhatra League members to death for their direct involvement in the murder, while five others received life imprisonment.

However, as of Tuesday, the sentence was yet to be carried out as the Awami League government, ousted on August 5 in a mass upsurge, had a tendency keep delaying court sentences against its henchmen and allies, and to ultimately secure presidential pardons for the death-row convicts.

In this regard, the High Court has also ordered the Cabinet Division to form a fresh probe commission for investigating the failure of authorities at the time to protect Abrar, likely drawing in Chhatra League patrons to face justice.

A HC division bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Muhammad Mahbub Ul Islam passed an interim order with the rule after holding hearing on a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Shahin Alam.

Advocate Mahbub Morshed moved the plea before the court, while Deputy Attorney General Redwan Ahmed Rajib stood for the state.

BUET student Abrar was beaten to death at its Sher-e-Bangla Hall on October 6, 2019. His father, Barkat Ullah, filed a murder case at Chawkbazar Police Station the following day, accusing 19 people.

On December 8, 2021, Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 sentenced 20 to death and five others to life imprisonment for the murder.