In a major development relating to a murder case, the High Court on Tuesday ordered 12 individuals, who were previously acquitted in a case filed over the killing of Chittagong Medical College (CMC) student Abidur Rahman Abid, to surrender before the lower court concerned within 30 days.
The HC bench also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why the 2019 verdict of the trial court acquitting all 12 accused should not be scrapped.
The HC bench comprising Justice Md Zakir Hossain and Justice Syed Zahid Mansur issued the order and rule after hearing on a petition filed by the complainant of the case, seeking necessary directives.
Confirming the High Court order, lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir, one of the counsels for the petitioner, told the media that the High Court ruling reflects a move toward justice in a politically sensitive case.
He also said that all accused were reportedly leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the ruling Awami League and they were so influential during the trial proceedings. Hence, no one could give their witness statements during the trial proceedings and subsequently all murders were acquitted by the lower court, he added.
I hope, the petitioner will get justice as the High Court accepted the petition and issued the rule in this connection, he noted.
Abid, a third-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) student from CMC's 51st batch, was allegedly beaten to death in 2011 for his alleged involvement with Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the student wing of the BNP.
The petition was filed by Abid's uncle, Neyamat Ullah, who had lodged the murder case with Panchlaish Police Station.
Initially, 22 individuals were made accused. However, police pressed charges against 12 after investigation.
On July 10, 2019, the Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court in Chattogram acquitted all the accused.
The 12 accused now ordered to surrender are: former student union VP Mofizur Rahman Jumma, CMC unit BCL president Sohel Parvez Sumon, general secretary Bijoy Sarkar, joint secretary Himel Chakma, Ferdous Rasel, Shanto Debnath, Mahafuzur Rahman Dhiman, Nasir Uddin Patuwari, Debashish Chakraborty, Mostafa Kamal, Rashedur Reza Sani, and Salman Mahmud Rafsan.
Protesting the death, the students of CMC staged a demonstration in front of the academic building of the college, forcing the authorities concerned to shut down the college activities for an indefinite period and ban political activities on the campus.
The CMC authority also suspended the activities of the student council on the campus.
Family members said Abid had been beaten multiple times by BCL activists amid tensions surrounding the formation of a Chhatra Dal committee at the college. He died on October 21, 2011, while undergoing medical treatment.
