Govt inciting Muslims to show rise OF militancy in Bangladesh: BNP

The BNP has alleged that the government is inciting the ‘pious Muslims’ to agitate against Abdul Latif Siddique ahead of the visit of US Assistant Secretary Nisha Desai Biswal.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 25 Nov 2014, 06:23 PM
Updated : 25 Nov 2014, 06:23 PM

Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told a press briefing in Dhaka on Tuesday the government wanted to prove to ‘foreigners’ that fundamentalism and militancy had risen in Bangladesh.

The US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs is supposed to visit Bangladesh after attending the SAARC Summit to be held in Kathmandu on Wednesday and Thursday.

Mirza Fakhrul even expressed doubt whether Siddique, who lost Cabinet berth and ruling Awami League’s membership following his tirade against Hajj, actually returned to Bangladesh or not.

However, shortly after Fakhrul’s briefing, Siddique surrendered to Dhanmondi Police Station. Later he was produced before a Dhaka court, which ordered him into prison in cases over hurting religious sentiment.

The BNP leader said: “Journalists couldn’t take any snap of Latif Siddique returning home. There is confusion among the public if he has come back or not.”

“Why wasn't he arrested at the airport though he is facing arrest warrants in many cases? Why was he allowed to goterious,” he added.