Manna charged with inciting military

Nagorik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, who showed interest to help foist an unconstitutional military rule on Bangladesh, has been arrested on charges of inciting the armed forces to revolt.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 24 Feb 2015, 11:19 PM
Updated : 24 Feb 2015, 11:34 PM

The former student leader recently made headlines by warning of a military takeover unless the government had dialogue with the BNP to end the political crisis.

He has been at the centre of discussions after bdnews24.com broke the story on two leaked audio clips on his phone conversations.

His family, party and even the BNP expressed concern over his whereabouts after he was detained from his brother's Banani home in the early hours of Tuesday.

However, none of the law-enforcing agencies had admitted to taking him into custody.

Manna, at last, was handed over to Gulshan police around 12:20am on Wednesday by RAB, 21 hours after his arrest.

He was sent to the headquarters of the Detective Branch immediately for questioning.

RAB Additional Director General Ziaul Ahsan told bdnews24.com: "A case has been filed with Gulshan Police Station under Section 131 of the Penal Code. Charges under this section deal with inciting the armed forces to revolt."

The case lodged by Sub-Inspector Sohel Rana of the same police station also accuses an unnamed person.

According to Bangladesh Penal Code's Section 131 “whoever abets the committing of mutiny by an officer, soldier...or attempts to seduce any such officer, soldier, sailor or airman from his allegiance or his duty, shall be punished with [imprisonment] for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine”.

bdnews24.com on Sunday ran news on the audio clips of Manna's phone conversations with BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka and another unidentified person.

In one of the phone conversations with the individual unidentified so far, he said he was keen to play a role in a military takeover. They discussed plans to meet two top army officers.

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