Hundreds of students of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) continued their protest for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, demanding quick trial of Abrar's killers.
The agitating students locked all gates of the academic and administrative buildings, as they did not get any concrete assurance from the authority concerned regarding their various demands.
Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the BUET Prof. Dr. Saiful Islam finally appeared before the students on Tuesday afternoon, and tried to calm them down by saying that he is giving moral support in favour of their demands.
BUET Vice Chancellor Prof Saiful Islam speaking to students in front of his office in the city on Tuesday — Collected
But the students were not convinced with the VC's comments, and continued their agitation.
The VC invited representatives of the students to discuss about their demands, but the students denied the proposal. Rather, they urged the VC to publicly discuss the matters in front of all students.
The BUET students continued their demonstration until filling of the report at 8.00 pm. They also demanded suspension of all academic and administrative activities in the institution until their demands are met.
Their demands include ensuring the highest punishment for the killers, boycotting the upcoming the BUET admission test scheduled for October 14 and academic activities, expulsion of the identified killers from the BUET, and fast trial of the case under Speedy Trial Tribunal etc.
They also demanded stopping physical and mental tortures under the name of ragging, resignation of the Sher-e-Bangla Hall provost, providing expenditure for conducting the murder case to the victim's family by the BUET administration, and imposing ban on student politics on the campus etc.
Nearly 400 students, under the banner of general students of the BUET, brought out a procession on the campus at around 10:30 am, and took position in front of the university Shaheed Minar. They were chanting slogans, demanding justice for the killing of Abrar.
Shahria, a student of 15th batch of the Department of Water Resources Engineering, said: "We will not stay on the campus with the killers. The authority has to expel them, and ensure the highest punishment to them."
Ten persons arrested in connection with the murder of BUET student Abrar Fahad were produced before the CMM’s court in the city on Tuesday — Focus Bangla
"We wouldn't return to the class until our demands are met," he also added.
Meanwhile, police arrested three more students of the BUET on Tuesday in connection with the incident, said Masudur Rahman, deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
They are - Moniruzzaman Monir, a third-year student of Water Resources Engineering Department, Akash Hossain, third-year student of Civil Engineering Department, and Shamsul Arefin Rafat, second-year student of Mechanical Engineering Department.
On the other hand, a Dhaka court on Tuesday afternoon granted five days remand for each of the 10 accused in connection with the Abrar murder.
The court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sadbir Yeasir Ahsan Chowdhury granted the remand after police produced the accused, seeking ten days remand for each.
The detained students include BCL BUET unit general secretary Mehedi Hasan Rasel, joint general secretary Muhtasim Fuad, organising secretary Mehedi Hasan Robin, information and research affairs secretary Anik Sarkar, deputy social welfare secretary Ifti Mosharraf Shakal, sports secretary Meftahul Islam Xion, and publication secretary Ishtiak Munna.
Besides, the other detained students are Tanvirul Abedin Ethan, a student of Mechanical Engineering Department 16th batch, Muzahidur Rahman Muzahid of Civil Engineering Department 17th batch, and Muntasir Alam Jemi of Chemical Engineering Department 18th batch.
Meanwhile, the protest spread across the country on Tuesday, and students of the Dhaka University (DU), the Jahangirnagar University, the Rajshahi University and other educational institutions took part in it.
Hundreds of students of the DU, led by Vice President (VP) of the DU Central Students' Union (DUCSU) Nurul Huq Nur, also staged demonstration on the day. They performed 'gayebana janaja' in front of Raju Sculpture, and marched on several streets of the DU campus.
Earlier, the Teachers' Association of BUET expressed solidarity with the students' movement, and opined that there is no need of students' politics on the campus.
Abrar, a second-year student of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) Department of the BUET, died on early Monday, after he was brutally beaten allegedly by some Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leaders in Sher-e-Bangla Hall.
Abrar's father Barakat Ullah lodged a case against 19 people with Chawkbazar Police Station in Old Dhaka on Monday.
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