BUET student Abrar Fahad to receive Independence Award posthumously

Abrar Fahad, a student at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, or BUET, who was beaten to death by a group of Chhatra League leaders and activists in 2019, will be posthumously awarded the Independence Award, Bangladesh's highest civilian honour.

The announcement was made on Monday in a Facebook post by Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, adviser to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives under the interim government.

He wrote: "Abrar Fahad is a symbol of courage in the fight against injustice and a reflection of free thought. This award is a recognition of his sacrifice. His ideals continue to inspire us, leading us toward justice. The nation will never forget you, Abrar!"

On the night of Oct 6, 2019, BUET’s second-year student Abrar was tortured to death at the Sher-e-Bangla Hall by leaders and activists of the Chhatra League, the student affiliate of the Awami League. Following the incident, his father filed a murder case at Chawkbazar Police Station in Dhaka.

On Nov 13 of that year, police submitted a chargesheet against 25 people.

On Dec 8, 2021, a tribunal sentenced 20 BUET students to death and five others to life imprisonment in connection with the case. The case is currently awaiting appeal hearings and death reference review in the High Court.

On Aug 6 last year, just one day after the Awami League government was overthrown by a mass uprising, Muntasir Al Jemi, a death-row convict in the case, reportedly escaped from prison by breaking through the walls along with several other inmates.