Latif Siddique 'sacked' from Cabinet over Hajj rant

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sacked Telecoms Minister Abdul Latif Siddique, under fire for his comments against Hajj, from the Cabinet.

Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif told a press conference on Wednesday at the party president's Dhanmondi political office about the action.

"Bangladesh Awami League doesn't support such statement. That's why the prime minister has immediately dismissed him from the Cabinet," he said.

After making his controversial comment on Sunday in New York, Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Siddique, accompanied by State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak, went to Mexico.

Siddique was supposed to receive the 'Global ICT Excellence Award' at the World Congress on Information Technology 2014 there on Wednesday.

But a media statement from the ministry said Palak received the award in 'Public Sector Excellence' category on behalf of the government.

Hanif confirmed, "Abdul Latif Siddique was supposed to receive that award. But Palak took his place when he was removed from the Cabinet. That proves that the prime minister's decision was executed immediately."

Despite swirling rumours on Tuesday that the Awami League leader from Tangail was fired, the government made no official announcement.

Hanif confirmed his sacking a day after, but an official announcement is yet to arrive.

After his press briefing, when contacted, Cabinet Division Joint Secretary Abdul Wadud Wednesday evening told bdnews24.com: "We are yet to receive any order regarding Abdul Latif Siddique's removal."

Cabinet Secretary Muhammad Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan is currently in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj.

Facing harsh criticisms from all sides, AL Presidium member Siddique late on Tuesday told BBC Bangla that he would not resign in the face of pressure. But he would follow the prime minister's order.

If Hasina's order to remove Siddique is executed, it will be the first removal from her 51-member Cabinet in the past nine months after coming to power for a second consecutive term.

During the Hasina government's last term, only Syed Abul Hossain was removed from the Cabinet for his alleged involvement in the Padma bridge corruptions.

Senior Awami League leader Suranjit Sengupta had resigned from his railway ministry after graft allegations, but he was kept in the Cabinet as a minister without portfolio for the rest of that government's tenure.

He drew broad condemnation after at a programme in New York on Sunday he said he was against Hajj and Tablig Jamaat along with Jamaat-e-Islami.

A video clip of him talking spread over the internet kicking up a storm, but the remarks about the Hajj in particular touched some raw nerves.

“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,” Siddique was heard saying in the video.

He also reacted strongly to a question about Sheikh Hasina’s son and ICT Adviser Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed Joy. “Why do you talk about Joy all the time? Who is 'Joy Bhai'?

"Joy is not in the Bangladesh government. He does not take decisions."

After the video set the social media on fire, political parties began to issue reactions as well.

Even Awami League ally Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad called for the ruling party stalwart’s arrest.

The BNP and several Islamic parties demanded his dismissal from the Cabinet. Hifazat-e Islam called for his death while Jamaat-e-Islami had a relatively low-key reaction, asking Siddique to apologise.

The BNP and many Islamic parties have threatened agitations demanding punishment for the Awami League leader.

Several cases and complaints were filed against Siddique at courts in several districts on Wednesday for hurting religious sentiments. Two Dhaka courts have also summoned him in five cases.

After that, at the press briefing in the afternoon, Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif said, "What he said in New York is very unfortunate. The prime minister took action right after she came to know about what had happened."

Amid much discussion over Siddique's remarks, Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader on Tuesday said the decisions would be taken about his colleague after the prime minister returns home.

Hasina is now in the UK after attending the UN General Assembly in New York. She is scheduled to fly back on Thursday.

In an interview given to BBC Bangla from Mexico Tuesday, Siddique stood by his remarks.

“I made the comments on Hajj as a free and modern man.”

The 71-year old, one of the most senior politicians, is known as an outspoken politician, and his snide remarks have brought him much controversy over the years.

He did not even spare his younger brother Kader Siddiqui for “siding with war criminals”, saying the war hero was suddenly trying to become a Razakar – the militia that helped Pakistanis to stop Bangladesh emerge as a nation.

He has also been accused of beating up a Power Development Board engineer.

The five-time Tangail-4 MP was in charge of the textiles and jute ministry in Awami League’s last term.

He had opposed Sheikh Hasina becoming the Awami League president in the 1980s while she was in exile. Again he was a strong voice in her support during the military-backed regime in 2007.

Siddique was a favourite of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, an active participant in the six-point movement in 1966 and the mass uprising of 1969, frequently jailed throughout that decade and an organiser during the Liberation War.

In 1964-65, he was elected the vice president of Karatia Sadat College students union as a Chhatra League leader.

After Bangabandhu’s murder, he was in jail for six years under the military regime. He was freed after his wife became an MP of the Ershad government.

During his term as textile minister, he wrote a letter to US Ambassador in Dhaka Dan Mozena tersely objecting to his asking managements to allow trade union rights in readymade garment factories.