Latif Siddique denied bail
Latif Siddique denied bail
A Dhaka court today denied bail to sacked minister Abdul Latif Siddique in a case filed against him for hurting religious sentiment of Muslims.
Metropolitan Magistrate Md Asaduzzaman Noor passed the order around 11:00am after Latif’s counsel Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua submitted the bail petition before the court.
The former post and telecommunications minister was sent to jail after he surrendered before a court on November 25 in the case filed against him by Advocate Abed Raza for his anti-hajj remarks.
During today’s proceedings, Latif’s lawyer told the court that he filed the petition as the charge brought against his client is bailable.
On the other hand, the complainant, who was present at the courtroom during the hearing, opposed the petition saying that Latif, with his provocative statement, has not only hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslims in Bangladesh but also of the Muslim community around the world. So his bail petition should be rejected, he said.
Latif was not produced before the court today as he was admitted to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) yesterday due to his chest pain and high blood pressure.
The court fixed March 15 as the next date of hearing and ordered the prison authorities to produce Latif before the court on that day.
Latif returned on November 24 after one and a half months' stay in India.
The ex-minister faces 22 cases in 18 districts for hurting religious sentiments. Of those, eight were filed in Dhaka. Arrest warrants were issued on him in four cases.
He was sacked from the cabinet on October 12 following his comments against hajj and Tabligh Jamaat at a programme in New York on September 28.
Later, he was expelled from the AL presidium, and also lost primary membership of the ruling party.
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.