BNP wants Siddique expelled

The BNP has demanded that Minister Abdul Latif Siddique be expelled from Cabinet for his comment on Hajj.

Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan and Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi raised the demand in separate events on Tuesday.

Jamaat-e-Islami and Hizafat-e Islam issued similar statements after Siddique said he was against Hajj, Tablig and Jamaat-e-Islami at a discussion in New York on Sunday.

“We condemn his comment against one of the five pillars of Islam. We demand that he be expelled, arrested and punished,” said Nazrul Islam Khan.

Rizvi claimed the minister for posts, telecommunications and information technology has hurt Muslim sentiments around the world.

“Their party chief (Sheikh Hasina) goes to people for votes wearing Hijab and with prayer beads in her hands. Then she forgets about it when she goes to power.”

“His comment has exposed Awami League’s character.”

The video clip of Siddique making the comment at an event organised by the ‘Tangail Samiti’ was widely circulated in social media.

“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.”

Jamaat’s central leader Mujibur Rahman demanded that Siddiqui withdraw his statement and apologise for ‘hurting Muslims’.

Chittagong-based group Hifazat-e Islam responded with a threat on Monday night saying ‘Siddique’s fate will be similar to exiled authors Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasreen if adequate measures are not taken against him’.