Mahbubur indicted for RP Shaha killing
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday framed three charges against a Tangail man for alleged wartime crimes including the abduction and killing of philanthropist Ranada Prasad Shaha and his son in 1971.
The three-member tribunal led by Justice Md Shahinur Islam also set April 22 for the trial's commencement when recording testimonies of prosecution witnesses will begin, Prosecutor Tureen Afroz said.
The accused -- Mahbubur Rahman, 69, from Mirzapur in Tangail -- after being arrested on November 7 in 2015, pleaded not guilty and demanded a fair trial.
Mahbubur, a Jamaat adherent, ran for the chairman post of Mirzapur Union Parishad as an independent candidate three times, but was defeated each time, investigators said.
The prosecution on January 10 pressed charges against Mahbubur for allegedly abducting and killing Ranada, widely known as RP Shaha; his son Bhabani Prasad Shaha and five others.
Mahbubur was also charged with abduction and killing of 55 others in two separate incidents in 1971.
According to the first charge in the case, Mahbubur, along with local Razakars and some 20 to 25 members of the Pakistan army, raided RP Shaha's home in Khanpur of Narayanganj on May 7 of 1971.
From there they abducted seven people including Ranada, his son, his associate Gour Gopal Shaha and four others and took them to Adamjee Burma Eastern Oil Depot.
Later, they killed the seven and dumped their bodies in the Shitalakkhya river. Their bodies were never found.
The same day, on May 7, the Pakistan army in the presence of and with the assistance of Mahbubur, his father and brother, attacked and killed 33 Hindu residents of Shahapara in Mirzapur, the second charge reads.
In another charge, Mahbubur and his father, along with 15 to 20 Razakars, picked up 24 Hindus from different villages in the upazila on May 15.
Mahbubur later handed the abductees over to the Pakistan army who killed 22 of them after torture, it said.
WAR CRIMES CASE AGAINST 12 NARAIL MEN
Meanwhile, the tribunal asked the superintendent of police in Jessore to respond as to why he did not submit a report on an accused who has been absconding.
Prosecutor Rezia Sultana Chaman said the court has asked the SP to respond by April 30.
On November 23 last year, the tribunal sought reports from police about seven absconding accused. The tribunal earlier accepted five charges pressed against 12 Narail men -- including the seven fugitives -- in a case filed for their alleged war crimes during the Liberation War
Yesterday, the tribunal passed the order as police reports on all fugitives except for that on Narail's Khandakar Shawkat Ali Babul, who currently lives in Jessore Sadar upazila, were submitted to the tribunal.
Yesterday, the tribunal received report about six but Jessore police did not submit report about Khandakar Shawkat Ali Babul, who is originally from Narail but currently living in Jessore Sadar Upazila, added Prosecutor Rezia.
Five of the accused -- Abdul Wahab, Omar Ali Sheikh, Gulzar Khan, Mohammad Daud Sheikh, and Mohammad Badruddoza alias Badiuzzaman -- are now in jail.
Six other fugitives are Solaiman Faruki, Ruhul Kuddus Khan, Abdus Sattar, MA Awal Mandal, Abdus Sattar Sikder and Abdul Majid Mollah.
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