Hefajat-e-Islam Bangladesh on Monday demanded the removal of Posts and Telecommunications Minister Abdul Latif Siddique from the cabinet within 24 hours for his reported remarks against the holy hajj and Prophet Mohammad (Pbuh).
In a statement, senior leaders of the Islamic group also warned that Latif Siddique will face the fate of Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasrin if proper action is not taken against him.
Latif Siddique, now staying in the USA, reportedly made the remark at a reception arranged by Tangail expatriates in New York on Sunday evening.
“He won’t be allowed to step into Bangladesh land. The majority of the lovers of the great Prophet will give a befitting reply to the government’s insolence,” the statement said.
The Hefajat leaders mentioned that Mohammad (Pbuh) is more lovable person than their lives of 150 crore of Muslims of the world while Hajj is one of the basic pillars of the Muslims.
The statement said the audacity shown by the current government’s minister Abdul Latif Siddique by making disparaging comments in New York about the holy Hajj, hajj pilgrims and Mohammad (Pbuh) is possible only by an extreme atheist. “We demand the government immediately remove him from the cabinet and ensure highest punishment to him after his arrest for hurting the religious sentiment.”
They also threatened to take to the streets as they did in 2013 if the government fails to take action against the minister, “It’ll also prove that Awami League is a party of atheists and apostates.”
The Hefajat leaders said they are stunned, aggrieved and ashamed that Latif dared to make offensive comments about hajj and the Prophet going abroad as an entourage of the prime minister with public money.
Hefajat senior leaders Mohibullah Babu Nagari, Nur Hossain Quasemi, Shamsul Alam, Shah Ahmadullah Ashraf, Abdul Malek Halim, Tafazzal Hossain, Mozaffar Ahmed, Abdul Hamid and its secretary general Junaid Babu Nagari signed the statement.
Source: Prothom Alo