Witness identifies slain student Farhan Faiyaz in International Crimes Tribunal testimony

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A first-year medical student at Mugda Medical College provided harrowing testimony at International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Tuesday, detailing the final moments of student Farhan Faiyaz during the July mass uprising. The witness, Wasif Munim, recounted his efforts to rescue his classmate after Faiyaz was struck by gunfire in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi area on July 18, 2024.

Munim testified that he had joined the protests near Asad Gate when demonstrators were pursued by armed groups linked to the Awami League, including members of the Chhatra League and Jubo League. As the crowd scattered into the side streets of Dhanmondi Road 27, Munim discovered his classmate, Faiyaz, being carried by four individuals toward a rickshaw. Upon closer inspection, Munim saw that Faiyaz had been shot in the chest.

After securing an ambulance, Munim transported the critically wounded student to the emergency department of City Hospital, where Faiyaz was transferred to the intensive care unit. During the chaos, Munim was handed Faiyaz’s identification card. He used the contact information on the card to reach the victim’s father, providing him with a firsthand account of the shooting. Munim later learned that Faiyaz had succumbed to his injuries.

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The testimony was part of a broader case concerning crimes against humanity allegedly committed in the Dhanmondi and Mohammadpur areas during the July uprising. The legal proceedings center on the deaths of nine individuals between July 18 and July 19, including Farhan Faiyaz, Md. Mahin Mia, Md. Rony, Al Shahriar Hossain, Md. Raju Ahmed, Mahmudur Rahman Saikat, Md. Ismail, Md. Jasim Uddin, and Zobaed Hossain Emon.

The case involves 28 defendants. Four individuals—former Ansar member Mohammad Omar Faruk, Mohammadpur Thana Chhatra League President Naimul Hasan Russell, former Mohammadpur Thana Chhatra League Vice President Md. Sajjad Hossain, and Jubo League activist K.M. Fazle Rabbi—are currently in custody. The remaining 24 defendants, including former minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak and former mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, remain at large.