The leaked telephone conversations of Mahmudur Rahman Manna are shocking and merit a full investigation.
In the first one, he appears to be collaborating with a fugitive leader of the BNP to destabilise the government through violent action at Dhaka University, expressing indifference if such action might lead to deaths.
In the second, the unidentified third party to whom he is speaking seems to suggest the possibility of a move to destabilise the government through the actions of serving and retired army officers.
Manna has authenticated the conversations and claims that his words have been taken out of context and that nothing he has said in either conversation rises to the level of a crime or suggests his participation in any kind of conspiracy.
This is for a court to decide, and there can be no question that he has a case to answer.
In the first instance he advises a confrontation between BNP student activists and the authorities that could well amount to incitement.
In the second, it seems clear that the subtext of the conversation is an unconstitutional plot to unseat a constitutionally-elected government.
Whether these two conversations rise to the level of criminal acts and whether there is other evidence to suggest that a crime has been committed can only be determined through a full legal investigation, that should be begun without delay.
It should go without saying that Manna must be entitled to his legal presumption of innocence, and it is imperative that he be afforded all his legal rights to a full and transparent process.
Due process must be followed meticulously, all the more so given the grave nature of the charges against him and his status as a high-profile critic of the government.
The leaking of the tapes to the media and the confusion and denials surrounding his arrest are not good signs. We trust that moving forward the authorities will be absolutely scrupulous in their treatment of the accused and their prosecution of the case against him.