The fifth death anniversary of Abrar Fahad, a student of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), was observed on Thursday with due respect.
The foundation stone was laid after a memorial meeting organized under the banner of “Abrar Fahad Smriti Sangsad” at Palashi intersection in the capital on Monday afternoon.
Earlier, speakers at the memorial meeting called for building a new Bangladesh by nurturing the ideals of Abrar Fahad.
They asked why the murder trial was not implemented so far.
After four years of being vandalized by Awami fascist regime, Abrar Fahad’s memorial “Eight anti-aggression pillars” honouring his fight for protecting the country's sovereignty and democracy is being rebuilt again.
The foundation stone of eight pillars named respectively- Sovereignty, democracy, mass protection, communal harmony, protection of local industries, agriculture, rivers, forests and ports, economic self-reliance, cultural freedom and human dignity.
Barkat Ullah, brother of Abrar Fahad, Buet student Abrar Fayaz, Amar Desh editor Mahmudur Rahman, former DUCSU social welfare secretary Akhtar Hossain, convener of Jatiya Nagorik Committee Nasir Uddin Patwary, coordinator of anti-discrimination student movement Hasnat Abdullah, coordinator Sarjis Alam, coordinator Abu Baker Majumder, coordinator Abdul Kader, among others, spoke on the occasion.
Barkat Ullah said: "Abrar Fahad gave his life for this country. For the first two years, we had to go door to door for the murder trial. Three years after the verdict, we still haven't got justice for the murder. The eight pillars that are being built should survive any obstacle.”
He also demanded exemplary punishment of the killers of his son and urged the government to make the administrations strong enough so that such incidents cannot be happened again in any educational institutions.
Abrar Fayaz, a Buet student and younger brother of Abrar Fahad, said the eight anti-aggression pillars were demolished soon after their construction in 2020. We wondered if it would happen again. An attempt has been made to legitimize the murder of Abrar Fahad with the tag Shibir. Killing cannot be legitimized by the tag of any party or opinion.”
“The spirit of Fahad's statement is yet to be implemented.”
He urged the interim government to implement a fair relationship with India in foreign policy, water sharing and port agreements.
Akhtar Hossain, convener of Abrar Fahad Smriti Sangsad and former social welfare secretary of Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu), said Abrar Fahad is not a single person, but a symbol of independence for millions of Bangladeshis.
“Today is five years since his martyrdom. When we heard the news of his death that day, we could not even hold a procession. In 2020, we erected eight pillars in his memory, when we were a few. But today it has been proved that we are not a few, but thousands.”
Akhtar Hossain said: "Abrar Fahad is not a single person; he is the symbol of Bangladesh's independence. Although the killers of Abrar Fahad have been arrested, the trial process is not yet completed, the trial should be completed very quickly. The killers who are roaming outside should also be arrested. No aggression by any other country will be allowed in Bangladesh.”
While addressing Amar Desh Acting editor Mahmudur Rahman demanded renaming the Bangabandhu avenue as Abrar Fahad Avenue comparing Abrar Fahad with 19th century Bengali freedom fighter Titu Mir.
“Sheikh Mujib is the icon of ousted Sheikh Hasina’s fascism while Abrar is the mighty voice against Indian hegemony and domination”, said Mahmudur.
Urging the interim government’s chief adviser Dr Mohammad Yunus to announce the government as revolutionary government, Mahmudur Rahman urged the chief adviser to become the president and form a council of advisers under the president.
“Throw away the constitution of Sheikh Hasina and rule the country as like a revolutionary government. We have such a precedent in 1990,” said Mahmudur Rahman.
Nasir Uddin Patwary said: "The constitution that was pressed on us in the last fifteen years, the constitution that was responsible for the death of Abrar Fahad, the constitution that was responsible for the martyrdom of hundreds of martyrs in the July mass uprising, the constitution which is responsible for the cries of thousands of people, how does that constitution still exist in the state of Bangladesh? We want this Constitution to be repealed immediately.”
The visible fight against Hasina’s fascism begun with the martyrdom of Abrar Fahad five years back, said Jatiya Nagorik Committee convener Nasir Uddin Patwary.
“Following Abrar’s footprint and spirit, thousands of Abrar Fahad were born over the years which ultimately resulted in the revolution,” he said.
Sarjis Alam, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, said: "We all have to be careful so that the misrule, ill-politics and bad culture of the past do not come back.”
Hasnat Abdullah, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, said that the terrorist force named Chhatra League has asked to forgive the torture that they have carried out on the campus for the last 16 years.
“We want to say that cases should be filed against those who tortured us for the last 16 years, and the administration that instigated these tortures of Chhatra League should also be chargesheeted.”
Hasnat also demanded abolishment of the national constitution and urged the government to make a new one in the light of people’s aspiration.
Abu Baker Majumder, another coordinator of the student movement, said: "Shaheed Abrar Fahad is a symbol of our sovereignty and anti-aggression. Two things have become clear through his murder. One is the torture of Awami League and the other is our struggle against Indian aggression.”