War trial: Charges framed against Tangail man

A war trial tribunal today framed charges against a Tangail man for committing war-time crimes.

The three-member International Crimes Tribunal-1 led by Justice Md Shahinur Islam also fixed April 22 for starting trial with recording of the testimony of prosecution witnesses, Prosecutor Tureen Afroz said.

Framed in three charges, accused Mahbubur Rahman, 69, from Mirzapur, Tangail, pleaded not guilty.

The prosecution on January 10 pressed charges against Mahbubur for allegedly abducting and killing Ranada Prasad Saha, his son Bhabani Prasad Shaha and five others. He has also been charged with the abduction and killing of 55 others in two other incidents in 1971.

Mahbubur, now in jail, was arrested on November 7, 2015. The Jamaat adherent ran for the chairman post of Mirzapur Union Parishad as an independent candidate three times, unsuccessfully.

On May 7 of 1971, Mahbubur, along with local Razakars and some 20 to 25 members of the Pakistan army, raided RP Shaha's home in Khanpur of Narayanganj, according to the first charge in the case.

They abducted him, his son, his associate Gour Gopal Shaha, and four others and took them to Adamjee Burma Eastern Oil Depot. Later, the seven were killed and their bodies were dumped 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 Mirzapur's Shahapara, the second charge reads.

On May 15, Mahbubur and his father, along with 15 to 20 Razakars, picked up 24 Hindus from different villages in the upazila, as per another charge.

Mahbubur later handed the abductees over to the Pakistan army who tortured 22 of them to death, it said.