Verdict on Mymensingh war crimes suspect tomorrow

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 will deliver verdict tomorrow in a case filed against a Mymensingh man for allegedly committing crimes during the Liberation War in 1971.

The three-member tribunal led by Justice Md Shahinur Islam today fixed the date, Prosecutor Tapash Kanti Baul told The Daily Star.

Riaz Uddin Fakir, the lone accused of the case who is now in jail, has been facing five charges.

The charges brought against Riaz are abduction, torture and killing of three people of Kalairpar, Chaklauripara and Phulbaria between August 22 and 25; committing genocide by killing eight Hindus and raping three Hindu women in Rishipara on November 5; committing genocide by killing at least 43 people of six villages on November 3; and killing of three brothers of Bhalukjan on November 21.

On completion of the closing arguments of both the prosecution and defence counsels, the tribunal on March 21 kept the verdict waiting for delivery.

On December 11 in 2016, the tribunal framed five charges against two people -- Riaz Uddin Fakir and Wajuddin, 70, of the same upazila. The tribunal later dropped Wajuddin's name from the case as he died of natural causes while he was on the run.