Islamic parties\\\' hartal today

Sammilito Islami Dal, a coalition of Islamic parties, is set to enforce a daylong nationwide hartal on Sunday demanding recently removed minister Abdul Latif Siddique's trial for his disparaging remarks about hajj and Tablig Jamaat, reports UNB.
Maulana Zafrullah Khan, secretary general of the coalition, announced the shutdown programme at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club on Wednesday, as the government has 'failed' to arrest Latif for his offensive remarks within their given deadline. Earlier on October 1, the coalition threatened to enforce a daylong countrywide hartal on the day (Oct 26) if the sacked minister was not arrested by October 22 for his disparaging remarks about hajj.
Latif Siddique at a views-exchange meeting with expatriates from Tangail on September 28 in the USA said, "During hajj, so much of 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 Tablig Jamaat people get together annually who don't do any productive work except halting traffic movement across the country," he added.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-Islami Bangladesh on Saturday extended its moral support to Sunday's hartal.
In a statement, its nayebe ameer Prof Mujibur Rahman announced Jamaat's support to the shutdown and urged people to intensify the movement demanding Latif's punishment.
The government has deployed members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in the capital on Saturday evening ahead of the hartal to maintain the law and order.