AL warns Manna after he is heard wanting corpses, meeting with generals

The Awami League has asked Nagarik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna to watch his steps after his telephone conversations with BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka, and an unidentified person were leaked.

The party’s Publicity Secretary Hasan Mahmud said on Monday: “Khoka who accepted responsibility for anarchy being caused by the BNP-led coalition...people are marking them who are conspiring with anarchists.

"I am warning those marked," he told a gathering in front of the National Press Club.

bdnews24.com on Sunday broke the news of an audio clip containing the conversation between Manna, Khoka, and an unidentified person.

Former Awami League leader Manna is one of the main advocates of a national dialogue to resolve the current political crisis

The former vice president (VP) of the Dhaka University Central Student Union (DUCSU) told Khoka that a few deaths could destabilise the government if a clash over occupying the university halls could be engineered.

In the conversation with the unidentified person, Manna expressed his eagerness to sit with generals to facilitate a military intervention.

The audio clips and report stirred up a storm on the social media with Manna’s remarks coming in for severe criticism.

In the gathering on Monday, Hasan Mahmud also took a swipe at tbe BNP’s announcement to declare as ‘Freedom Fighters’ those who died during the violence over last one and half months.

“They are killing people, they themselves are trying to give Freedom Fighter certificates. This is like making fun of those who died and of the whole nation.”

“It is as if (one is) taking Freedom Fighter certificates from Razakars,” he said hinting at the BNP’s coalition with Jamaat-e-Islami, a party which opposed the Liberation War of 1971.

“Jamaat does not believe in the Shaheed Minar, they do not pay respects at the Shaheed Minar.

"In the same manner, on Jamaat’s advice, Khaleda Zia (BNP Chairperson) did not go to the Shaheed Minar and organised Milad at her office.

Khaleda is not only BNP’s leader, she has turned into Jamaat’s Amir (chief)," he added.