‘Abrar Fahad’ a unique, bright symbol of the country’s nationalist forces: Rizvi

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi yesterday (7 October) termed martyred Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) student Shaheed Abrar Fahad a unique and bright symbol of the country’s nationalist forces.

He said Abrar Fahad’s patriotism and supreme sacrifice provided the ultimate inspiration for the nation to stand up against aggression and fascism, uniting the patriotic people of the country.

Rizvi made the remarks while addressing a discussion, as the chief guest, organised by Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal at the Alumni Association Auditorium of Dhaka University’s Senate Bhaban (DU), to commemorate the memory of Shaheed Abrar Fahad.

The discussion was titled “The BNP government’s foreign policy: National unity against hegemony, expansionism and imperialism, and a commitment to protecting independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

“Abrar Fahad was not merely a victim of a homicide. He protested against anti-national agreements and stood up for the country’s sovereignty through his sharp and incisive writings on Facebook,” Rizvi said. 

“By brutally killing him, the lackeys of aggressive and expansionist forces tried to instil fear among the freedom-loving people. However, their attempt completely failed.”

Quoting famous Russian author Leo Tolstoy, the BNP leader remarked that feeling the pain of others is the true essence of human existence. He noted that the entire nation wept over Abrar’s brutal murder, and that shared grief eventually transformed into a surge of resistance and retribution.

Rizvi emphasised that the ultimate outcome of Abrar’s martyrdom was reflected in the July Uprising in 2024, which eventually forced authoritarian ruler Sheikh Hasina to flee the country.

Recalling his conversation with Abrar Fahad’s father during the event, Rizvi expressed immense pride in sitting beside the father of a Hero.

Notably, Abrar’s father was a former student of Rajshahi University who had voted for him in the 1990 Rucsu election; the BNP leader said such recognition from the father of a martyr deeply touched his heart.

Highlighting the glorious tradition of the University of Dhaka, Rizvi urged the students to uphold its historic legacy, noting that the university has always played a pioneering role in every national movement-from autonomy and education rights to the War of Independence and democratic struggles.

Commending the resilience of Chhatra Dal activists, he stated that despite enduring severe persecution and physical assaults under fascist rule, they never compromised their ideals or abandoned their independent identity, continuing their struggle openly on the streets.

He said Abrar Fahad’s sacrifice proved once again that the people of Bangladesh will never surrender the nation’s independence, sovereignty, or land to any foreign or aggressive force.

At the discussion, Abrar’s father, Barkat Ullah, said, “What was truly Abrar Fahad’s crime? All he did was inform and awaken the nation through his writing about the anti-national deals made by the then-fascist regime. That was his only ‘crime’.”

He said that, on the day of the incident, after returning to his dormitory in the evening, he was woken from his sleep at night, brutally tortured for five to six hours, and murdered. 

Though so many years have passed, we have still not seen full justice, as the legal process has been continually delayed. I earnestly urge BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi to help expedite and ensure justice in this trial.

At the discussion, Professor Dr M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, DU treasurer; President of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Rakibul Islam Rakib, General Secretary, Nasir Uddin Nasir, President of DU Chhatra Dal, Ganesh Chandra Roy Sahos, General Secretary of DU Chhatra Dal Nahiduzzaman Shipon, along with other leaders and activists, were present.