A court in Bangladesh upheld the death sentences of 20 former university students on Sunday for their involvement in the 2019 murder of fellow student Abrar Fahad. Fahad, 21, was killed shortly after criticising the then-government of Sheikh Hasina on social media.
A student at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Fahad was beaten for nearly six hours with cricket bats by a group of 25 students, all affiliated with the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of Hasina’s Awami League party. His murder sparked nationwide protests, ultimately forcing the former prime minister to promise the harshest punishment for those responsible.
Fahad’s father, Barkat Ullah, expressed his relief following the court’s decision.
“I am satisfied. I hope the legal process is completed soon so that justice is served,” he told reporters. He also urged parents to caution their children against engaging in violent political activities.
The court upheld the original 2021 verdict, which sentenced 20 individuals to death and five others to life in prison. Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman confirmed that while the verdict stands, the convicted students still have the right to appeal.
Syed Mizanur Rahman, a lawyer for the defence, announced plans to challenge the ruling.
Of the 20 sentenced to death, four remain at large, including Muntasir Al Jamie, who escaped from a high-security prison in August 2023.
Bangladesh frequently hands down death sentences, with hundreds of inmates currently on death row. Executions in the country are carried out by hanging, a practice inherited from British colonial rule.
