Prosecution gets time again to submit probe report

The prosecution yesterday once again got time to submit report on investigation in the case filed over the abduction and killing of philanthropist Ranada Prasad Shaha and his son Bhabani Prasad Shaha during the 1971 Liberation War.

Yesterday was fixed for submitting the report but Prosecutor Rezia Sultana Chaman sought three months' time to do so and the International Crimes Tribunal-1 directed the prosecution to submit a report, if have any, on August 28.

Mahabubur Rahman, 69, of Boiratiapara village under Mirzaganj upazila in Tangail was shown arrested in the case on September 6 last year. He is now in jail.

On May 7, 1971, Pakistani army men, accompanied and supervised by Mahabubur, attacked Kumudini Complex owned by Ranada Prasad, also the founder of Kumudini Welfare Trust, to kill Ranada Prasad but they did not find him there, according to the prosecution.

Then, they raided his another residence in Narayanganj and abducted five men including Ranada Prasad and his son Bhabani Prasad around 11:00pm on that day and they were killed later, it said.

Ranada was born on November 15, 1896 in Mirzapur village near the sub-divisional town of Tangail of the erstwhile Mymensingh district.

Reaching the pinnacle of success as a businessman, Ranada, known as RP Shaha placed all his companies and businesses in a trust with a view to using the proceeds for public welfare. Kumudini Welfare Trust of Bengal thus came into existence for poor and distressed people, according to the website of the trust.

RP Shaha used his wealth to establish a hospital in remote Mirzapur to provide free medical care. The philanthropist founded several educational institutions to promote education in the country, including renowned Bharateswari Homes for women.