Kushtia Correspondent:  Today marks the sixth death anniversary of Abrar Fahad, a second-year student of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), who was brutally beaten to death by leaders and activists of the now-banned student organization, Chhatra League, on October 6, 2019.

Six years on, the grief remains fresh for Abrar’s parents, Rokeya Khatun and Barkat Ullah. They continue to mourn their son amidst memories preserved in showcases—his mobile phone, laptop, bed, and study table—all still in place at their home on PTI Road in Kushtia city.

Speaking to reporters, they expressed deep frustration over the slow implementation of the court verdict and the failure to arrest four fugitive convicts in the murder case. “We demand the arrest of the absconding accused and the swift execution of the verdict, along with the establishment of the non-discriminatory state that Abrar dreamed of,” said Barkat Ullah.

Rokeya Khatun recalled her last memory of Abrar, whom she fed with her own hands and accompanied to the bus to BUET from Kushtia. “I didn’t know that was the final farewell,” she said, her voice breaking.

On the night of October 6, 2019, Abrar was tortured to death by Chhatra League members inside BUET’s Sher-e-Bangla Hall, reportedly over a Facebook post. Police recovered his body from the stairway of the hall around 3 am the next morning. Abrar’s father filed a murder case with Chawkbazar Police Station on October 7, naming 19 accused.

The charge sheet was submitted on November 13, 2019. Two years later, on December 8, 2021, Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 sentenced 20 accused to death and five others to life imprisonment.

On March 16, 2025, a High Court bench comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain upheld the verdict. However, despite the High Court’s confirmation, the execution of the sentences is yet to be carried out, causing anger and frustration among the victim’s family and the public.

Abrar’s younger brother, Abrar Fayyaz, is currently a second-year student at BUET’s Mechanical Engineering department. Their mother now lives in Dhaka to support him.

On the occasion of the death anniversary, the Shaheed Abrar Fahad Memorial Library in Kushtia arranged day-long programs including discussion meetings and special prayers. “Shaheed Abrar Fahad is a symbol of resistance against injustice,” said Sultan Maruf Talha, advisor of the library. “It is a disgrace to the nation that the killers still roam free.”

General Secretary Masum Billah echoed this sentiment and demanded the immediate arrest of the fugitive convicts and execution of the court’s verdict.

Abrar Fahad’s tragic death shocked the nation and sparked widespread protests across the country, demanding justice and reforms to curb campus violence. Six years later, many still wait for the full measure of justice to be served.