Former planning minister MA Mannan arrested in his Sunamganj home

He is accused of attacking students and civilians during the uprising in Sunamganj

Former planning minister MA Mannan has been arrested at his village home in Sunamganj.

He was detained around 10:30pm on Thursday from his residence in Shantiganj’s Hijalbari, according to AFM Anwar Hossain Khan, a superintendent of police in Sunamganj.

“He has been taken to Sunamganj Sadar Police Station and is currently in police custody,” the SP said.

Anwar said Mannan was arrested in connection with a case filed over an attack on students and civilians during the Anti-discrimination Student Movement in Sunamganj on Aug 4.

“On Friday, he will be presented before court, and we will seek his remand to investigate his involvement in the attack on protesters,” the SP added.

The Aug 4 attack in Sunamganj injured Jahur Ali from Eroakhai village. His brother Hafiz Ahmed filed a case on Sept 2 against Mannan and 98 others.

Residents claim that Mannan had been staying at his home since the beginning of August, with locals guarding his residence. As a result, no more attacks occurred on his house after Aug 5.

A former bureaucrat, Mannan was first elected to the ninth parliament in 2008.

In 2003, after retiring from civil service, Mannan ran as an Awami League candidate in the 2005 by-election for the Sunamganj-3 seat but was defeated.

However, he won in both the 2014 and 2018 general elections.

In 2014, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina appointed him as state minister for planning, and four months later, he took on additional responsibilities at the finance ministry.

After the 2018 general election, he was made planning minister.

He won his fourth consecutive term in the Jan 7 general election but was not included in the cabinet. Instead, he was appointed chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the planning ministry.

Mannan’s arrest comes as part of a broader campaign to detain former Awami League ministers, leaders, and MPs following the fall of the government in the wake of student-led protests.