No seditious element in my conversation: Manna

Nagorik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna today claimed there were no “seditious” elements in his conversation (with BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka and another unidentified person).

“I was never involved with hatred or conflicting politics. The leaked phone conversation was mine. But I didn’t have chance to hear the full conversation. I am not sure whether my conversation was tempered. But there was no seditious element in my conversation,” he said while greetings journalists at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka.

Read more: Manna out on bail after 21 months

This was Manna’s first public appearance before the media since he was freed on bail on December 18.  He was released on bail after he had languished in jail for over 21 months in two cases filed on charges of sedition and inciting the army.

More than 20 hours after “men in plainclothes had picked up” Manna from his niece's house in Banani around 3:00am on February 24 last year, police officials said he was arrested by Rab members who handed him over to the Detective Branch of police.

Rab officials had then said Manna was arrested in a case filed with Gulshan Police Station for “trying to instigate revolt by the armed forces”.

The arrest came days after his two telephone conversations were leaked.

In one conversation, Manna, also former organising secretary of the ruling Awami League, was heard talking to BNP leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka about strengthening the anti-government movement, among other issues.

The other call was made to an unknown person. During the conversation, the man asked Manna if he would like to sit with top army officers.

With referring to his conversation, Manna today said, “in my whole political career I was never involved with politics of hatred or conflict. There is no question of discussion on killing. There was nothing in my conversation, that I had chance to hear, on dead body.” 

Citing inhuman atmosphere in jail, Manna said the main problem in jail is that you will have no chance to survive if anyone suffers from heat attack in jail because of so many formalities.

Manna said he came to know that three people died in heart attack during his stay in jail.

The former Awami League organizing secretary called upon the government to give back his passport to him for going abroad for his better treatment.

Thanking journalists, he said, he got huge cooperation from journalists which was more than his expectations.   

Manna also said he is trying to wage a third alternative current as the two major political parties have done little for establishing people’s rights.