Abdul Latif Siddique A political enigma has been created over former minister and Awami League presidium member Abdul Latif Siddique as he remains untouched and untraced after his return to Dhaka from kolkata on Sunday with a number of arrest warrants on him. Some MPs demanded at Parliament his arrest, while Hefajat-e-Islam called hartal for Thursday if he is not held before that and rumour turnedbaseless that he went to the High Court in the morning to seek bail. Besides, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Choudhury said that her permission is not needed to arrest Latif Siddique outside of parliament premises while state minister for home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said to reporters for arresting him speaker’ permission was necessary. Former minister for post, telecommunication and information technology Abdul Latif Siddique, who has been removed from cabinet and expelled from ruling Awami League for making derogatory remarks against hajj and the prophet (PBUH), returned to Dhaka from Kolkata on Sunday night. He left the airport under the nose of law enforcers carrying a number of arrest warrants on him. Meanwhile, speculations are rife in the political circle of the capital over Latif Siddique’s sudden return to the country and the apparent inaction of the police although a number of arrest warrants have been issued in cases filed against him with different courts of the country. Under such circumstances, how could he return to the country, was the question being asked by many. Certain quarters is reportedly behind growing speculation that Latif Siddique has returned home under arrangements with the government. Meanwhile, there was a reumour Monday morning that Latif Siddique has arrived in the High Court premises to seek bail. But that ultimately proved basesless. In the evening on Monday parliament witnessed an uproar as the treasury and opposition lawmakers came down heavily on Abdul Latif Siddique over his return to the country with arrest warrants on him and remaining beyond the net of law enforcers. They demanded immediate arrest of Siddique to avert any sort of unrest to be carried out by the radical forces. Taking the floor on a point of order, they raised eye brows over Siddique’s entrance to the country carrying several arrest warrants and his mysterious disappearance after leaving the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport under the nose of the law enforcing agencies. Branding the lawmaker as an aide of the militant forces, the lawmakers alleged that Siddique would like to create problems for the government and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by instigating the militant and vested quarters. Main opposition Jatiya Party lawmaker Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu initiated the unscheduled discussion over the government’s inaction against Sddique, who returned home from India Sunday. “How did he enter the country and leave the airport without any obstacle despite several arrest warrants for making derogatory remarks on the prophet, hajj and Tabligh Jamaat?” he told the House with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair. Raised eye brows, the lawmaker questioned, “Why has he not been brought under book yet? Arrest him immediately so that the radical forces and conspirators can not run politics on the issue.” “He has acted in favour of the fundamentalists,” he said, urging the government not to help rising fundamentalism. He also sought a statement from the home minister in this regard. Independent lawmaker Haji Mohammad Selim expressed utter surprise over Siddique’s exit from the airport among a strong vigilance of eight to 10 intelligence agencies. “There has been a speculation among the people that he has entered the country with a green signal from the government. I do not believe it as the premier herself practices the religious rituals.” The lawmaker asked the Speaker whether she would take a move to cancel his membership as the nation is waiting to see the move of the Speaker. Another independent lawmaker Rustam Ali Farazi feared that his return would hamper the country’s prevailing peace. “How does he dare to return home?” he said. The lawmaker sought a ruling from the Speaker over Siddique’s membership in parliament as two lawmakers of the 7th parliament lost their membership for being expelled from the party. “If you are not able to issue the ruling, you should send the matter to the Election Commission for its opinion,” he said. The lawmaker also told the House that the premier should formulate a blasphemy law, if necessary. “The issue should not be taken lightly rather it should be handled seriously,” he said. Bangladesh Nationalist Front lawmaker Abul Kalam Azad sought clarification from the Speaker whether her permission is necessary for arresting the lawmaker. Treasury bench lawmaker Suranjit Sengupta told the House that Siddique hurt every ruling party leader and activist, including the premier making derogatory remarks as the ruling Awami League is respectful to religion. “It is the duty of the law enforcing agencies to arrest him. But they can not arrest anyone until getting the arrest warrant,” he said, adding that the government and the party would execute the directives of the court. He asked the vested quarter to refrain from catching fish in troubled water creating unhealthy situation centering the issue. Over the arrest of the lawmaker, Sengupta said no lawmaker could be arrested from the premises of parliament without the permission of the Speaker. “But the law enforcers can arrest a lawmaker on criminal offences outside parliament and the Speaker should be informed after the arrest. Being informed, the Speaker will inform the matter in parliament,” he said. After Latif’s expulsion from the party, ruling party general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam reportedly said that they would send a letter to the Speaker for taking further step on him as the lawmaker is no more with the party. But no letter has yet been sent to the Speaker’s office, party insiders said. Amid the widespread speculations, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury told reporters Sunday that there was no need to take permission from the Speaker to arrest Abdul Latif Sddique from outside the premises of parliament. “There is no need to take permission from the Speaker for arresting a lawmaker from outside of the premises of parliament,” Chaudhury said. The Speaker said, “The Rules of Procedures clearly mentions about the Speaker’s permission for arresting a lawmaker from parliament premises. Yet, there has been a provision for arresting the lawmaker if the House is in the session.” As per the Rules of the Procedures, no lawmaker can be arrested from parliament premises without the permission from the Speaker The rule also mentions about the parliament premises saying premises means House, lobby, gallery and the places determined by the Speaker. The Rules of Procedures also mentions that if any lawmaker is arrested on charge of criminal offences or any court awards punishment to a lawmaker, the Speaker should be informed officially. But the Privilege of Members Act 1965 of the East Pakistan Assembly says that there is no mandatory provision for a lawmaker to be present in the court if the session is on, and seven days before and after the session. Sources in parliament said the law formulated during the Pakistan regime is still in force. Though Siddique has been removed from cabinet and expelled from the party, he is still a member of the 10th parliament. Latif at a programme in New York on September 28 made derogatory remarks against the prophet (PBUH), hajj and Tablighi Jamaat. He said: “During hajj, too 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 work except halting traffic movement across the country,” he added. The remark drew flak at home and abroad. Hefazat Islam and NDF issued ultimatums to the government to arrest Siddique by Wednesday. If the government fails to arrest the stipulated time, they will enforce a countrywide hartal on Thursday, they said. Meanwhile a Dhaka court on Monday asked Ramna Thana OC to arrest Latif Siddique.
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