Process to remove Latif ‘complete’

FE Team | Published: October 12, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

Abdul Latif Siddique

The Cabinet Division completed all preparations to issue gazette notification on removal of Minister Abdul Latif Siddique from the cabinet for his derogatory remarks about Hajj and Tablig Jamaat, said Cabinet Secretary M Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan on Saturday, reports UNB.
"We're ready in this regard. Now, we're waiting for the signature of the President," he told reporters at the Secretariat.
Although Saturday is an official holiday, Mosharraf attended the office.
The secretary said on receiving the file of the minister from the Prime Minister's Office, they would send the summary to the President for his signature. "Once the President signs the file, gazette will
be published immediately," he added.
At a view-exchange meeting with expatriates from Tangail in New York on September 28, Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Abdul Latif Siddique made the disparaging remarks about Hajj, one of the main pillars of Islam, Tablig Jamaat and Prime Minister's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
He had said: "During hajj, so much manpower is wasted. Over 20 lakh people have gone to Saudi Arabia to perform hajj. They've no work, no production and they only cause deduction."
"Some 20 lakh Tablighi Jamaat people get together annually who don't do any work except halting traffic movement across the country," he added.
About Prime Minister's son, Latif Siddique had also said: "Who's Joy? He's no one of Bangladesh government. He can give advice but it's the government that will take decisions."
The minister came under fire at home and abroad for his remarks which also annoyed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.