Hefajat threatens with hartal on Thursday
Star Online Report
Hefajat-e
Islam has threatened to call a countrywide daylong hartal for Thursday
if sacked minister Abdul Latif Siddique is not arrested by Wednesday for
his anti-hajj comments. Azizul Haque Islamabadi, organising
secretary of Hefajat, told The Daily Star after a meeting at Hathazari
Madrasa in Chittagong this afternoon.
Meanwhile, hundreds of activists of the Islamic party brought out a procession from Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka around 2:00pm demanding his immediate arrest.
They were chanting slogans against Latif Siddique, who returned home from India after one and a half months last night with several arrest warrants on him.
The former posts and telecommunication minister arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Air India flight AI 230 around 8:20pm last night.
As soon as the news of his arrival spread, Hefajat threatened to go for tough programmes like Dhaka siege and nonstop hartals demanding Latif Siddique's arrest and death penalty.
The former minister was removed from Sheikh Hasina's cabinet and from the Awami League's presidium, the highest policy-making forum of the party, on October 12 following his derogatory comments on hajj and Tablighi Jamaat at a programme in New York on September 28.
His remarks triggered a whirlwind of criticisms at home and abroad.
On October 24, his primary membership in the AL was cancelled too, marking an end to Latif's five-decade-long association with the party.
A total of 22 cases were filed against him in 18 districts for offending the religious sentiments of the Muslims. Several arrest warrants have been issued in those cases.
From the USA, Latif went to India October 12 and had been staying in Kolkata since then.
ISLAMI OIKYA JOTE’S THREAT
Islami Oikyo Jote, an ally of BNP-led alliance, will enforce a dawn-to-dusk hartal on Thursday if the government fails to arrest Latif Siddique by Wednesday, its Secretary General Mufti Faizullah at rally following a procession at Lalbagh in the capital.
ISLAMI ANDOLON’S GRAND RALLY DEC 5
Islami Andolon Bangladesh will hold a grand rally on December 5 at Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka, demanding Latif Siddique’s immediate arrest and enactment of a law with a provision of death penalty as the highest punishment for atheists.
The Islamist group came up with the announcement after joining Hefajat’s procession at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in the afternoon.
They will also lay siege to the National Parliament after the rally, said Ashraf Ali Akanda, political adviser of Islami Andolan chief Syed Rezaul Karim alias Chormonai Pir.
WHAT LATIF ACTUALLY SAID
At the September 28 programme in the USA, Latif said, “During Hajj, so much manpower is wasted. More than 20 lakh people have gone to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. They have no work, no production and are offering only deduction.”
He added some 20 lakh Tablighi Jamaat people get together annually. They do not do any work, except for halting traffic movement in the whole country.
He also reportedly made critical comments about Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the prime minister's son.
When the AL served a show-cause notice asking Latif to explain why he wouldn't be expelled from the party permanently for acting against the party charter, Latif, in reply, defended himself saying the AL dropped the word "Muslim" from its name in 1955 to give the party a secular character. Moreover, the party ensured freedom of speech and expression through its constitution. And so, he can express his feelings about any issue.
Latif, however, regretted that AL leaders got into "an embarrassing situation" for what he had said.
But the ruling party found his reply unsatisfactory and expelled him.
Hefajat-e-Islam
activists bring out a procession Monday afternoon demanding immediate
arrest of sacked minister Latif Siddique. Photo: TV grab
Meanwhile, hundreds of activists of the Islamic party brought out a procession from Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka around 2:00pm demanding his immediate arrest.
They were chanting slogans against Latif Siddique, who returned home from India after one and a half months last night with several arrest warrants on him.
The former posts and telecommunication minister arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Air India flight AI 230 around 8:20pm last night.
As soon as the news of his arrival spread, Hefajat threatened to go for tough programmes like Dhaka siege and nonstop hartals demanding Latif Siddique's arrest and death penalty.
The former minister was removed from Sheikh Hasina's cabinet and from the Awami League's presidium, the highest policy-making forum of the party, on October 12 following his derogatory comments on hajj and Tablighi Jamaat at a programme in New York on September 28.
His remarks triggered a whirlwind of criticisms at home and abroad.
On October 24, his primary membership in the AL was cancelled too, marking an end to Latif's five-decade-long association with the party.
A total of 22 cases were filed against him in 18 districts for offending the religious sentiments of the Muslims. Several arrest warrants have been issued in those cases.
From the USA, Latif went to India October 12 and had been staying in Kolkata since then.
ISLAMI OIKYA JOTE’S THREAT
Islami Oikyo Jote, an ally of BNP-led alliance, will enforce a dawn-to-dusk hartal on Thursday if the government fails to arrest Latif Siddique by Wednesday, its Secretary General Mufti Faizullah at rally following a procession at Lalbagh in the capital.
ISLAMI ANDOLON’S GRAND RALLY DEC 5
Islami Andolon Bangladesh will hold a grand rally on December 5 at Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka, demanding Latif Siddique’s immediate arrest and enactment of a law with a provision of death penalty as the highest punishment for atheists.
The Islamist group came up with the announcement after joining Hefajat’s procession at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in the afternoon.
They will also lay siege to the National Parliament after the rally, said Ashraf Ali Akanda, political adviser of Islami Andolan chief Syed Rezaul Karim alias Chormonai Pir.
WHAT LATIF ACTUALLY SAID
At the September 28 programme in the USA, Latif said, “During Hajj, so much manpower is wasted. More than 20 lakh people have gone to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. They have no work, no production and are offering only deduction.”
He added some 20 lakh Tablighi Jamaat people get together annually. They do not do any work, except for halting traffic movement in the whole country.
He also reportedly made critical comments about Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the prime minister's son.
When the AL served a show-cause notice asking Latif to explain why he wouldn't be expelled from the party permanently for acting against the party charter, Latif, in reply, defended himself saying the AL dropped the word "Muslim" from its name in 1955 to give the party a secular character. Moreover, the party ensured freedom of speech and expression through its constitution. And so, he can express his feelings about any issue.
Latif, however, regretted that AL leaders got into "an embarrassing situation" for what he had said.
But the ruling party found his reply unsatisfactory and expelled him.
Published: 12:06 am Monday, November 24, 2014
Last modified: 4:34 pm Monday, November 24, 2014
