Dhaka University Teacher Association (Duta) has expressed grave concern over the ruthless killing of Buet student Abrar Fahad and demanded exemplary punishment to the perpetrators within the shortest possible time.

“It’s a ruthless and barbaric killing. We are upset and shocked at the death. We are demanding punishment to the killers within shortest possible time,” Duta President Prof Dr ASM Maksud Kamal and Secretary Prof Dr Tanzi Aziz Chowdhury said in a press statement today.

“Practicing and disseminating knowledge is the main task of a university and the university will be skidded off from its goal if the exercise of free-thinking and dissent opinion is hindered here,” they said in the statement.

Abrar killing incident is an outcome of the extreme intolerant attitude of some students which is contrary to the tradition and freethinking process of the university, they said.

“It is a matter of great regret that the practice of intolerance has been going on in the universities for the last few decades. The unscrupulous trend is leading us toward an unknown destination,” they said.    

“And we as the nation will be made meaningless and bankruptcy if the prevailing situation continues,” they said in the statement.

The DU teachers said that the entire teacher community will be held responsible if the sense of human interest is not built in the mindset of the students.

They also called upon all people including politicians, teachers, students, guardians to come forward forgetting political difference for the sake of congenial atmosphere in the educational institutes.

“We want the educational institutions to be built for teacher-friendly, safe and humanitarian,” they said expressing hope that the perpetrators will be tried in line with the directive of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The Duta also extended the heartiest sympathy to the bereaved family member of Abrar.  

Abrar, a second-year student of Electrical and Electronic Engineering department of Buet, died after he was brutally beaten allegedly by some Chhatra League men at dormitory of the university between 7:00 pm Sunday and 2:30 am yesterday.

The incident triggered a firestorm of protests on campuses across the country. Many took to social media to demand justice for Abrar.

Law enforcers suspect, Abrar was attacked because of one of his recent Facebook posts, which seemed critical of some recent deals with India.