By Mizan Rahman
Dhaka
Abdul Latif Siddique, who was expelled from ruling Awami League and sacked as a senior minister of the cabinet, has resigned as a member of the Bangladesh parliament.
Latif made the announcement while addressing a session of the parliament and submitted his resignation to the speaker.
Latif, expelled from the party for his anti-religion remarks, said that he was stepping down honouring party chief Sheikh Hasina’s wish.
“My leader does not want me to continue as a member of parliament…I am now offering my resignation,” Latif said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also the Awami League president, was not present in the parliament at the time.
His resignation comes days after his announcement that he would resign as a lawmaker and would not continue the legal battle over his membership in the parliament.
Latif, taking floor on a point of order, explained his controversial comments on Haj, claiming himself as a devoted Muslim and offered apology to everyone. “I am not complaining against anyone…I am bowing down and apologising to everyone,” he added.
Latif at a reception at Jackson Heights in New York on September 28, 2014, had said that he was against holy Haj and made hostile remarks against Sheikh Hasina’s only son Sajeeb Wazed Joy. He questioned the authority of Joy in the present government.
Latif’s remarks sparked countrywide protests from Awami League and criticism in talk-shows.
Latif, elected lawmaker from Tangail-4 parliamentary constituency, was expelled from the ruling Awami League on October 24, 2014. He was earlier dropped from the cabinet in the face of protests against his derogatory remarks against Haj.
The Awami league requested the speaker and the Election Commission to scrap his membership in parliament, while Latif fought a legal battle to protect it.
The Supreme Court in August passed no order in an appeal of Latif for staying a High Court verdict that rejected his writ petition challenging an Election Commission notification issued on August 9 asking him to appear before the commission for hearing the dispute.
Latif, in his last speech in the parliament, said that he did not want to make any allegation against anyone. “I am a human being and to err is human…I do not lose my trust in the people.”
Earlier, Latif joined the session taking his seat on the front row. Before joining the session, Latif met speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury at her office and then submitted his resignation letter.
