Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on Tuesday night as he fell sick in police custody.
Inspector Mozammel Haque, in-charge of DMCH police camp, said a team of Detective Branch (DB) of police took Manna to the hospital around 10:55pm after he complained of chest pain.
Dr Tawsif, Indoor Medical Officer (IMO) of the DMCH, told reporters that Manna was kept at Coronary Care Unit (CCU) at the DMCH under close observation.
He, however, said the decision about his admission to the hospital will be taken once the reports of some of his tests will be in hand.
On February 24, plainclothes police picked Manna up from a Banani house in the city and the Rapid Acton Battalion (Rab) confirmed Manna’s arrest and handed him over to the Gulshan Police Station the following day.
On February 25, a Dhaka court placed him on an unprecedented 10-day police remand in the sedition case involving the army filed against him with Gulshan Police Station.
On expiry of the 10-day remand, another Dhaka court on March 7 placed Manna on another 10-day remand in the sedition case.
Two audio clips of the conversations purportedly between Manna and BNP leader Khoka were leaked on February 22. In the conversations, Manna reportedly provoked the BNP leader to unleash a bloody clash on the Dhaka University campus.
A court correspondent of a Dhaka daily said that police ordinarily submits prayer for 10-day remand of people they produce before the court which either rejects or grants such prayers. In case of granting of remain prayers the duration of demand is normally less than what is prayed for. In case of the Nagorik Oikya chief however the court allowed remain for the entire period for which the remain was allowed on two consequtive appearances.
Meanwhile, Detective Branch of police informed journalists on Wednesday that they did not torture Manna during the period of remand. DB officials have been quoted to have said any man could fall ill at anytime at any place. So was the case of Manna. The official said that an allegation made by Mahmudur Rahman Manna’s wife that he fell ill due to torture in custody was untrue. – News Desk
