Hanif sees Khaleda behind strike threats demanding Siddique's arrest

Awami League leader Mahbub-Ul Alam Hanif says that BNP chief Khaleda Zia was behind the threat of strikes by some Islami parties demanding Latif Siddique's arrest.

According to him, Khaleda was trying to persuade those parties to call astrike on the day she is scheduled to appear before the court in the graft cases against her.

"The BNP's chairperson and leaders are still conspiring against the country. Khaleda Zia will not be able prove her self innocent in the graft cases, so she's persuading Islamist parties to call strike on the day of her court hearing," Hanif told reporters at Dhaka on Saturday.

A Dhaka court has set Oct 26 for the next day of hearing in the 'Zia Charitable Trust' and 'Zia Orphanage Trust' graft cases filed by the Anti Corruption Commission.

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Some Islamist parties have issued an ultimatum asking for the arrest of former minister Abdul Latif Siddique through the Interpol over his Hajj rant.

They have threatened to call a countrywide shutdown on Oct 26 if their demand is not met.

"The demand to bring Latif Siddique back to the country by Interpol is politically motivated," Hanif said.

Siddique drew widespread condemnation after rubbishing the practice of Hajj and Tabligh Jamaat at a programme in New York on Sept 28.

A video clip of his utterances kicked up a storm as it went viral on the internet.

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

Since then, over two dozen cases have been filed against him at different courts in several districts of Bangladesh, accusing him of hurting religious sentiments.

Amid the furore, the government dropped him from the Cabinet while the Awami League expelled him from the policy making Presidium on Oct 12.

Following that, the party showcaused him seeking explanation on why his party membership would not be cancelled.