Cancel Siddique’s JS membership, 20-party demands
The BNP-led 20-party alliance today demanded arrest of Abdul Latif Siddique and cancellation of his parliament membership for his recent comments on hajj, Prophet Muhammad (SM) and Tabligh Jamaat.
BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, on behalf of the alliance, placed the demands at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office in Dhaka this morning.
The combined organised the conference today to make public their demands that they decided during a meeting last night with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the chair.
The 20-party combine came up with its reaction three days after the posts, telecommunications and information technology minister, at a programme at Jackson Heights in New York, said he was against hajj and Tabligh Jamaat more than he was against the Jamaat-e-Islami.
Latif’s remarks have hurt the religious sentiment of people in the country as well as across the world, Fakhrul said adding that exemplary punishment has to be ensured for such comments.
Awami League’s political nature has been unveiled through the remarks of its minister, the BNP leader said.
The alliance also urged the government to arrange an inclusive national poll in a free, fair and credible manner to get the people relief from the prevailing crisis.
It also asked the government to pay heed to Khaleda Zia’s proposal for dialogue, Fakhrul said.
“Otherwise, the combine will call upon the people to wage a mass-movement against the government for its quick step-down,” Fakhrul said.
At the programme organised by the Tangail Samity on Sunday, Latif said, “hajj is a waste of manpower. Those who perform hajj do not have any productivity. They deduct from the economy, spend a lot of money abroad.”
"If 1,00,000 people perform hajj every year on an average and spend Tk 5 lakh each, then the total cost stands at Tk 500 crore," he said.
Speaking about the history of hajj, he said Prophet Muhammad was worried about the people of Arab as they were robbers. The prophet then made an arrangement that his followers meet at a place every year, which will generate income.
Criticising Tabligh Jamaat, he said, "Tabligh Jamaat brings together about 20 lakh people every year. It has no specific duties. It just clogs traffic across the country."
On talk shows, the minister said, "Those who attend talk shows are basically ‘talk man’. They jabber in front of cameras as they have nothing to do."
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