Nagorik Oikya demands release of Manna

Speakers at a discussion yesterday demanded immediate release of leader of Nagorik Oikya Mahmudur Rahman Manna.

At the programme organised by Nagorik Jubo Oikya at Jatiya Press Club in the capital, they claimed that a false case was filed against Manna. The discussion was titled "Present political situation and demands of release of Mahmudur Rahman Manna".

Though around 10 months have passed since the arrest of Manna, police are yet to submit any charge sheet against him, which is illegal, they added.

 If rule of law, justice and humanity exist in Bangladesh then no one would be confined without a trial for 10 months, said Salehuddin, a senior reporter of the daily Ittefaq.

Plainclothes detectives detained the then Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna from a Banani residence in Dhaka on February 24.

Rapid Action Battalion the next day confirmed that it had arrested Manna and handed him over to the Detective Branch of police.

The arrest came a day after his phone conversations with BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka and an unnamed person surfaced in the media after it was leaked.

In one conversation, Manna was heard talking to Khoka about strengthening the anti-government movement.