Nagorik Oikya convener Manna granted bail on sedition charges

The High Court has granted bail to Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, who had been detained on sedition charges.

The bail ruling was decided by a two-member bench of Justices Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Md Ataur Rahman Khan at a hearing on Thursday.

Manna was represented by Idrisur Rahman. Deputy Attorney General D Bashirullah stood for the State.

Manna was arrested on Feb 25 last year after two audio clips of his telephone conversations with BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka and another unidentified man were leaked.

They were heard discussing plans to engineer clashes at Dhaka University and incite the army to destabilise the government. 

Manna’s bail had previously been stayed on Mar 2 and Mar 7 last year in lower courts.

He then petitioned the High Court for bail on medical grounds.

On Mar 21 last year, a High Court bench of Justices Salma Masud Chowdhury and Kazi Md. Ejarul Haque Akondo issued a ruling questioning why Manna would not be granted bail.

The High Court granted Manna bail after the final hearing of the sedition case on Aug 30 this year.

The state moved against the bail petition and on Sept 4 a five-member Appellate Bench led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha stayed Manna’s bail until Oct 30.