‘catch him if you know where he is right now’
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has questioned the logical ground of Sunday’s hartal called by the Islamic parties, demanding “maximum punishment” for former minister Latif Siddique.
She said: “Those who have called hartal, should catch Latif.”
She further said: “The government has taken every possible action against Latif for his controversial remarks on Hajj. What is the point of calling hartal when the government has taken prompt action against him?”
She came up with the question while replying to aquery of a journalist after her Ganabhaban’s press conference on Thursday afternoon.
She said: “We have terminated him from the cabinet and have also removed him from the party. Moreover, he has been sued in many cases and different courts have issued arrest warrants against him.”
“As a responsible government, the Awami League has taken such measures to punish the former minister.”
Addressing the Islamic parties’ leaders, she said: “If you know about Latif’s whereabouts, help the authorise concerned to capture him.”
“Catch him if you know where he is right now.”
While addressing a programme in the US on September 28, Latif made derogatory remarks on Hajj, Tablighi Jamaat and the prime minister’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
The minister’s “derogatory” comments on Hajj have sparked widespread criticism both at home and abroad.
Following the issue, the government sacked the minister from the cabinet on October 12 and the same day Awami League also removed Latif from its presidium body and temporarily cancelled his primary party membership.
The ruling Awami League has also served a show-cause notice to Latif Siddique asking him to explain why he should not be expelled from the party permanently.
The Awami League membership of Latif is expected to be scrapped on Friday, despite the former minister reportedly submitting his reply to a party show-cause notice before its deadline expired on Wednesday.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
