Denouncing the derogatory remark by Posts and Telecommunications Minister Abdul Latif Siddique against holy hajj, BNP on Tuesday demanded that the minister be removed from the cabinet immediately.
Party standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan and joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi came up with the demand in separate programmes.
They also wanted Latif to be punished for the remark as it hurt the religious sentiment of millions of Muslims.
“We condemn the minister’s comment against one of the five pillars of Islam. We demand that the government immediately remove him from the cabinet and bring him to justice,” said Nazrul Islam Khan.
He was talking to reporters after placing wreaths at the grave of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman together with the leaders and activists of Sramik Dal of Dhaka city north and south units.
Addressing a press briefing at his party’s Nayapaltan central office, Rizvi said Latif has hurt the religious sentiment of millions of Muslim across the globe.
He said the ruling party minister has exposed Awami League’s true colour with his comment against the holy hajj.
“The top leader [Hasina] of the party [AL] seeks vote from people by wearing a Hijab [headscarf] with Tasbih [prayer beads] in her hands before election. She forgets everything after assuming office,” Rizvi said.
Awami League’s deception has been exposed with Latif’s remark, he said adding, “We condemned his remarks.”
Latif Siddique, now in the USA, at a reception arranged by Tangail expatriates living in New York on Sunday evening reportedly said he is deadly against hajj and Tablig Jamaat.
According to video clips available on different websites broadcasted by private TVs he said, “Hajj is just waste of manpower… those who perform hajj don’t have any productivity. They deduct from the economy, spends a lot of money abroad.”
Source: Prothom Alo
