Bangladesh sentences war criminal to death

A war crimes tribunal on Thursday sentenced a man to death for committing rapes and murders during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, a media report said.

Justice Obaidul Hassan, head of the International Crimes Tribunal, handed out the sentence to Forkan Mollik, 64, for raping women and murdering civilians at Mirjaganj, bdnews24 reported.

"We got the verdict we wanted. A man who was directly involved in crimes against humanity during the liberation war has received what he deserves," a prosecutor said.

"The court observed that he (Mollik) willingly committed these crimes, especially on Hindus."

"He raped women which is one of the most heinous crimes. We're satisfied with the tribunal's verdict," he added.

Justice Hassan said it was proven that Mollik was a close and notorious associate of local Razakars, who were a "pack of beasts".

Razakars were an East Pakistani paramilitary force that aided the Pakistan Army against the Mukti Bahini during the Bangladesh Liberation War.

At least three million people were killed and 200,000 women raped during the war, according to official data.