Mahmudur Rahman Manna

Mahmudur Rahman Manna
Manna in 2025
President of Nagorik Oikko
Assumed office
1 June 2012
General SecretaryShahidullah Kaiser
Preceded byoffice established
Personal details
Born (1951-11-01) 1 November 1951
PartyNagorik Oikko
Other political
affiliations
Bangladesh Awami League (1991 – 2009)
SpouseMeher Nigar
ChildrenNiloy Manna • Nilom Manna
Parent(s)Afsar Uddin Ahmed (father)
Meher Akhter (mother)
EducationDhaka College
Chittagong University
Dhaka University
OccupationWriter, Politician

Mahmudur Rahman Manna (Bengali: মাহমুদুর রহমান মান্না) is a Bangladeshi politician and a media personality.[1] He was former organizing secretary of the previously ruling party Bangladesh Awami League.[2] The Wall Street Journal described him as a "fierce critic of the government". He was arrested after a leaked conversation where he was asked if he would agree to talk to an army officer who was not named.[3]

Biography

Manna was born to Afsar Uddin Ahmed and Meher Akhter in Bogra district.

He is married to Meher Nigar.[4]

He was former vice president of Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) and former general secretary of Chittagong University Central Student Union (CUCSU).[5]

He is the co-founding convener of Nagorik Oikko, a civil society platform of Bangladesh.

He was arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion on 25 February 2015,[6] after a leaked conversation with Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Sadeque Hossain Khoka, on which he called for a stronger movement against the Bangladesh Awami League government. In the conversation he advised Khoka to seize Dhaka University dormitories. He talked with another unidentified person who suggested contacting Bangladesh Army officers to make a change in the government.[7] The National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh had called for his arrest.[8] One the other hand, Nagorik Oikko demanded his immediate release.[9] Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia also demanded his release.[10] Manna was released on bail in November 2016.[11]

References

  1. ^ "Formula, only a phone call away". The Daily Star.
  2. ^ "BNP blames Awami League of creating rift between its allies". bdnews24.com. 9 January 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  3. ^ Al-Mahmood, Syed Zain. "Bangladesh Court Orders Arrest of Opposition Leader". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  4. ^ Al Masum Molla, Mohammad; Jamil Khan, Mohammad. "Manna likely to run for mayor". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  5. ^ "Politicians responsible for rot in student politics: speakers". New Age. Dhaka.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  6. ^ "On the boil". The Economist. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  7. ^ "Detectives deny detaining Manna". The Daily Star. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  8. ^ "NHRC demands legal action against Manna, Khoka". Prothom Alo. Archived from the original on 23 December 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  9. ^ "Nagorik Oikya demands Manna's treatment, release". The Daily Star. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  10. ^ "Khaleda accuses govt of muzzling freedom of expression". bdnews24.com. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  11. ^ "SC upholds Manna's bail, no bar to release". The Daily Star. 28 November 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  • Media related to Mahmudur Rahman Manna at Wikimedia Commons