Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday decided to sack Abdul Latif Siddique from the cabinet over his comments on hajj, Prophet Muhammad (SM) and Tabligh Jamaat, highly placed sources said. Latif's remarks in New York on Sunday triggered widespread criticisms at home and abroad, and embarrassed the government. A top official at the Prime Minister's Office said Hasina was annoyed at the comments
by the posts, telecommunications and information technology minister at a discussion at Jackson Heights. The PM's decision came hours after a video of the discussion caused uproar in the social media and sparked protests in Bangladesh and in the US. However, no official confirmation of Latif's removal was available. Sources told The Daily Star that Hasina already directed PMO officials to prepare papers for his removal. The PM, who went to the US to attend the 69th UN General Assembly, will also speak to the president in this regard. Hasina is expected to return on Thursday. Latif is also on the PM's entourage. Under constitutional provisions, the premier can ask any minister or state minister to resign anytime. If s/he refuses to do so, the PM can advise the president to dismiss the minister or state minister in question. Meanwhile, in an interview with the BBC Bangla yesterday, Latif said he stood by his remarks, but would withdraw those only if the PM asked him to do so. Speaking from Mexico, he said he made the comments on hajj as a free and see page 10 col 2 Advertisement
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