Appearing in parliament on Tuesday, expelled Awami League minister Abdul Latif Siddique announced his resignation as a member of parliament.
He also sought apology to the nation had he hurt their religious sentiments by his derogatory remarks on Islam, prophet Muhammad (SWM), and Tablighi Jamaat last year.
Standing on point of order after parliament went into its seventh session Tuesday with speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair, Siddique delivered an emotionally charged speech for one last time.
“I, as a worker, never went against party discipline and now after being expelled, I will not show my noncompliance with the party’s and my leader’s [Sheikh Hasina] decisions,” said Abdul Latif.
He said, “It has been assumed that the desire of my leader [Sheikh Hasina] is that I no more be a parliament member.”
“Today is my last day. I am bringing allegations against nobody and spreading hatred to none. Had the country men been hurt in any of my behaviour, I am seeking apology with my head bowing down.”
He also called himself as a “pure Muslim.”
Later, he submitted his resignation letter to the speaker.
At a meeting in New York with expatriates from Tangail on 28 September, Awami League presidium member Abdul Latif Siddique made derogatory remarks on Islam, prophet Muhammad (SWM), hajj, Tablighi Jamaat and prime minister’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
Following a huge outcry from different quarters for his retribution for his insulting remarks on Islam, the cabinet division on 12 October, 2014 issued a gazette notification removing the then posts, telecommunications and ICT minister Abdul Latif Siddique from his ministership.
As ruling Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam wrote a letter to the speaker to take necessary measures to scrap Latif’s parliamentary membership, the speaker on 13 July sent a letter to the chief election commissioner, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, to take a decision on the parliamentary membership of sacked ruling Awami League leader Abdul Latif Siddique.
Against this backdrop, the Election Commission fixed 23 August to hold a hearing on Latif’s parliamentary membership, but Latif moved to the High Court challenging EC’s jurisdiction to hold such hearing.
When the HC dismissed Latif’s writ, he then moved to the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division to challenge the HC’s order.
Shortly before the EC’s hearing on 23 August, the Appellate Division rejected his appeal against the HC order and asked him to join the EC’s hearing.
Taking part in the EC’s hearing, Latif Siddique said he, himself, would resign from the position of member of parliament as “his leader Sheikh Hasina does not want him to stay in parliament.”
Source: Prothom Alo
