The Awami League has expelled Abdul Latif Siddique from its policymaking Presidium over his anti-Hajj rant.
His party membership, too, has been temporarily suspended.
The decisions came from the ruling party’s Central Working Committee that met on Sunday.
The government has already issued a gazette notification stripping Siddique of his Cabinet berth.
Party’s General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said Siddique would be served a show-cause notice.
A final decision will be taken after reviewing his reply, he said.
At the start of the CWC meeting at Ganabhaban, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the party chief, said the disgraced minister had done an “awful job” by making derogatory anti-Hajj comments.
Siddique on Sept 28 told a New York programme that he was strongly against Hajj, Tabligh and Jamaat-e-Islami.
He has been accused in a number of cases in Bangladesh for hurting religious sentiment.
Hasina said Siddique’s remarks had left her with no other option than forcing him out of the party.
After the CWC meeting, Ashraf told reporters that they had taken two unanimous decisions on Siddique for hurting religious sentiments and going against the party’s charter and ideals.
“He (Siddique) has been expelled from the Presidium and his primary membership of the party has been suspended,” Ashraf said.
“A show-cause notice will be served on him asking why he should not be permanently expelled [from the party],” he added.
Asked when the notice would be issued, Ashraf said they would follow the party’s constitution.
A senior Awami League leader, who attended the meeting, told bdnews24.com that the notice would be sent to Siddique’s permanent address.
Siddique has not been seen in public since last month’s programme. He is reportedly staying aboard.
Ashraf sidestepped a question on Siddique’s whereabouts. “You (journalists) are saying that he’s abroad,” he said with a smile.
The former minister is an Awami League MP from a Tangail constituency.
When asked what would happen to his Parliament membership, Ashraf said, “His parliamentary seat will be declared vacant once his primary membership is cancelled.”
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