Manna detained from a Banani house, says his family

Mahmudur Rahman Manna – who has stirred intense political debates after his plans to oust the Hasina government came to light – has been detained by police from a house in Dhaka, his family says.

The Nagarik Oikya convener’s daughter Nilam Manna said her father was whisked away by plainclothesmen from his brother's Banani house around 3:30am on Tuesday.

But Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam said they did not detain or arrest Manna.

"We are checking if any other agency has detained him," he told bdnews24.com.

This came a day after leaked phone conversations revealed Manna was plotting to oust the Hasina government through violence, murder and seeking meetings with senior military officers.

Nagarik Oikya cancelled a public procession from the National Press Club on Monday and its spokesperson said Manna, who was to lead the march, had fallen sick.

Bdnews24.com broke the news on telephone conversations between Manna, BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka, and an unidentified person.

The former DUCSU VP told Khoka that a few deaths could destabilise the government if a clash over occupying the Dhaka University's residential halls could be engineered.

In the audio clip containing the teletalk with the unidentified person, the Nagarik Oikya chief expressed his readiness to sit with officers in uniform to help foist an unconstitutional military rule on Bangladesh.

He is one of the ‘concerned citizens’ who have been pushing for a dialogue between the sparring Awami League and BNP to resolve the current political crisis.

The disgruntled former Awami League leader, who has never tasted victory in general election, had also warned of Jan 1, 2007-like military takeover if the bid bore no fruit.