Latif to stay as MP even if AL expels him
Abdul Latif Siddique will remain an MP even if he loses his membership in the ruling Awami League, said Chief Whip ASM Feroz.
“Latif Siddique will retain his membership [in parliament]. The current law on the cancellation of parliament membership does not apply to him because he didn't resign from or vote against his party," he said at a press conference at the Jatiya Sangsad Media Centre yesterday.
Feroz's comments came amid confusion as to whether Latif would remain a lawmaker if he loses his membership in the AL.
On Sunday, Latif was removed from the cabinet and the AL presidium, and his party membership was suspended following his derogatory remarks on hajj, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Tablighi Jamaat in the US late last month. He was made posts, telecommunications and ICT minister after the AL formed government following the January 5 election, and elected a presidium member in the 18th party council held in 2009.
The AL Central Working Committee (ALCWC), the party's highest decision-making forum, will sit on October 24 to finally decide on Latif Siddique's membership in the party, AL office secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap told The Daily Star.
Meanwhile, the AL yesterday served a show-cause notice to Latif asking him to explain in seven days why he would not be expelled from the party.
The notice, signed by AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, was sent to Latif's permanent address in Tangail's Kalihati, said Mrinal Kanti Das, deputy office secretary of the AL.
As one of the oldest parties in Southeast Asia, the AL cannot take responsibility for Latif's comments that hurt religious sentiment of people, the notice read.
“Your statements go against the party policy and principles and clearly violate the party's declaration and constitution. So explain in seven working days why you won't be expelled from the party permanently for acting against the party charter."
Emerging from Sunday's ALCWC meeting that dropped him from the party's highest policy-making forum and suspended his party membership, Syed Ashraful Islam had told reporters that Latif's parliament membership would become void if his membership in the AL was cancelled.
“He [Latif] has neither voted nor moved against his party. Neither has he quit [the party]. His case does not fall under the rule of floor-crossing. The issue has created some complications since the relevant law does not give specific directions in this regard,” the chief whip said yesterday.
Feroz, however, said if any controversy arises, the speaker of parliament will decide on the issue after interpretation of the law concerned.
ISLAMIST PARTIES DEMAND TRIAL
Different Islamist parties are not satisfied with the dropping and suspension of Abdul Latif Siddique from the cabinet and the ruling party over his derogatory remarks on hajj and Prophet Muhammad (SM).
They demanded the government bring Latif back home and put him on trial. The parties threatened of announcing tough agitation programmes including hartal if their demand went unheeded, reported BBC Bangla last night.
The BNP has also raised the same demand.
Around 30 cases have been filed against the former minister in the last few days for hurting religious sentiment of the Muslims. He is now in India.
The Qawmi madrasa-based Hefajat-e Islam and 19 other Islamist parties have issued an ultimatum to the government to take legal action against Latif by today.
Zafarullah Khan, joint secretary general of Hefajat, said they are still adamant that they will enforce programmes like hartal to press home their demand.
He however thanked the government for dropping Latif from the cabinet and suspending him from the party.
Leader of a faction of Islami Oikya Jote, Abdul Latif Nezami said all major parties are united in demanding trial of the former minister.
BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said people's anger will not dissipate if Latif was not put on trial.
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