Dhaka courts summon minister Latif Siddique over Hajj remarks

Three courts in Dhaka and Chittagong have ordered Minister Abdul Latif Siddique to appear before them in five cases filed over his recent remarks on Hajj that have ‘hurt religious sentiments’.

Court Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 1 Oct 2014, 08:23 AM
Updated : 2 Oct 2014, 04:30 AM

The ruling Awami League leader has been told to appear and explain his recent comment in Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrates’ Court on Oct 28 over a plea filed by BNP-leaning lawyer AMM Abed Raza on Wednesday.

He must again appear on Oct 30 in another case filed by East Islambagh businessman Md Badal Miah for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.

The minister for posts, telecommunications and information technology, speaking at an event organised by expatriates in New York, said he was against Hajj, Tabligh Jamaat and Jamaat-e-Islami.

"So much manpower is wasted over Hajj. Two million people are now in Saudi Arabia for Hajj. They have no work or role in production. They only eat and go abroad using the country’s money,” he said.

The video clip of him making the statement was widely circulated on social media.

He will have to appear before the Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrates’ Court on Oct 23 in three other cases filed by three BNP-affiliated lawyers.

Meanwhile, a Barisal court has heard a plea for a case against the minister over the same incident but is yet undecided about taking cognisance.

Meanwhile, Sylhet lawyer Masudur Rahman Khan has moved court against Siddique for ‘hurting religious sentiment’ and sought his arrest.

The metropolitan magistrate ordered Kotwali police to acquire government permission to investigate the allegations and file a report within Oct 20.

The BNP, Jamaat, Jatiya Party and the Chittagong-based group, Hifazat-e Islam, have demanded Siddique’s punishment.

Several Islamic parties have threatened to enforce a general strike on Oct 26 if Siddique is not arrested by Oct 15.