Nagarik Oikya's Manna 'sick', cancels march after leaked teletalk

Apparently pushed to a corner after the leak of its chief Mahmudur Rahman Manna’s telephone conversations, the Nagarik Oikya has postponed its public march.

The organisation’s central committee member Iftekhar Ahmed Babu told bdnews24.com on Monday of the move.

“In the wake of the current situation we have postponed our programme. It will not be held today; we will let you know," he said.

The organisation was scheduled to march to the National Press Club at 3pm and hold a meeting there to press for dialogues to resolve the ongoing political deadlock.

Ganaforum President Dr Kamal Hossain was to attend the programme as chief guest.

However, no activity could be seen in front of the National Press Club at the time of the planned march. Police on duty there said some activists of Nagorik Oikya came to the area sometime before 3pm but returned after waiting for a while.

When the bdnews24.com correspondent went to the organisation’s office in Segunbagicha to find out what happened, he was told that Convener Manna was not there because he had fallen ill.

Later Iftekhar Ahmed Babu confirmed the postponement of the event.

bdnews24.com on Sunday broke the news of an audio clip containing the conversation between Manna, one of the main advocates of a national dialogue to resolve the current political crisis, BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka, and an unidentified person.

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 dormitories could be engineered.

In the conversation with the unidentified person, Manna expressed his eagerness to sit with generals for 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.

The ruling Awami League and its student wing, Bangladesh Chhatra League, also reacted to the leaked remarks.

AL Publicity Secretary Hasan Mahmud warned Manna at a programme on Monday. “People are marking those who are conspiring with anarchists.”

BCL General Secretary Siddiqui Nazmul Alam declared the former DUCSU VP ‘unwanted’ on the Dhaka University campus.

He said if Manna was to be found, he will be given a good beating.