MPs also demand his arrest

UNB, Dhaka :
Jatiya Party and independent MPs on Monday demanded the immediate arrest of removed minister Abdul Latif Siddique for his dispersing remarks against Islam as retuned home on Sunday night from India.
Taking floor on point of order, Jatiya Party MP Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu raised the demand for Latif Siddique’s arrest and his exemplary punishment.
“How did he enter the country through Shahjalal Airport (Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport) and leave it safely?” Bablu, also JP secretary general, questioned.
Demanding a statement from the Home Minister in this regard, Bablu said:”I, on behalf of Jatiya Party and tens of thousands of the countrymen, demand his arrest and exemplary punishment. So no fundamentalist group can do politics over the issue. We don’t want to see any anarchy in the country.”
He further said, “I think that Latif Siddique worked in favour of fundamentalists by making such derogatory remarks.”
Backing Bablu, independent member Haji Selim said how the ex-Telecommunications Minister entered the country through the airport dodging 8-9 intelligent agencies. “What’s the duty of the intelligence agencies?” he posed a question.
Another independent MP Rustum Ali Farazi sought Speaker’s ruling over Latif Siddique whether he is still an MP as he lost his primary membership from the ruling Awami League.
Farazi demanded that a bill be brought against defamation of religion. If needed, he said, a blasphemy law will have to be enacted.” BNF member Abul Kalam Azad echoed with the demand.
Awami League MP Suranjit Sengupta, however, said Latif Siddique is not a persona non-grata and returned home with valid documents. The government cannot restrict him in this case, he added.
Suranjit, also an AL advisory council member, said the arrest warrants for Siddique were issued by many courts on the matter.
It is the duty of the law enforcers to comply with the arrest warrants, he said, adding that the agencies have limitations to enforce the arrest warrants until those reach them. “So we’re looking at the court about it. Our government will have to execute all the orders of the courts according to the traditional laws,” Suranjit said.