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Published : 16 Mar 2025, 04:22 PM
Attorney General Asaduzzaman has issued a stern rebuke to proponents of authoritarianism, emphasising that no matter how firmly a group controls the state machinery, the people will inevitably rise up against tyranny.
Reacting to the High Court's verdict in the high-profile murder case of BUET student Abrar Fahad on Sunday, the state's chief legal officer quoted Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong and said, "Some deaths are as heavy as a mountain, while others are as light as a feather. Abrar’s death weighs on us like a mountain.
"It has shaken the very foundation of the nation’s moral conscience. His murder has exposed how political fascism can grow unchecked over time. At the same time, his death reminds us that no matter how powerful fascism becomes, the innate humanity within people will eventually awaken."
He added that Abrar's sacrifice had saved the lives of countless talented students in educational institutions, noting that it was public outrage that ensured justice for him.
More than five years after Abrar Fahad was beaten to death, the High Court upheld the death penalty for 20 convicts and life imprisonment for five others in the case.
The verdict was delivered by the bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayetur Hossain after hearing the appeals of the convicts and reviewing the death references.
Following the verdict, Asaduzzaman said: "Abrar’s father is here beside me, and he has received justice. The entire nation has received justice. This ruling reinforces the judiciary's role in maintaining discipline and ensuring justice in society."
"Through this verdict, a message has been sent to society: no matter how powerful you are, no matter how much influence you wield, truth and justice will ultimately prevail."
Referring to the court's observations, he added: "The lower court's findings were clear, and there are no grounds for interference."
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 Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student affiliate of the Awami League. The incident sparked outrage across the university, leading to a campus-wide ban on student politics.
Following the incident, Abrar's father filed a murder case at Chawkbazar Police Station in Dhaka.
The case went to trial on Sept 15, 2020, after formal charges were framed. Following arguments from both sides, the trial court delivered a verdict on Dec 8, 2021, sentencing 20 people to death and five others to life imprisonment.
Among the convicts, three have been absconding since the beginning of the case, while another escaped from prison last year.
