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Latifs remarks on hajj draw flak

Staff Correspondent
Posts and Telecommunications Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui has drawn sharp criticism as he said he is against the Jamaat-e-Islami but more against Hajj andTablighi Jamaat.
The Awami League presidium member, who was visiting the US with the prime minister, made the remarks during a view exchange meeting with expatriates from Tangail on Sunday afternoon.
The meeting was held at a hotel in Jackson Heights in New York. His remarks went
viral in the social media.
In a report telecast by ETV yesterday, Latif said, "During Hajj, so much manpower is wasted. More than 20 lakh people have gone to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. They have no work, no production and are offering only deduction."
He added some 20 lakh Tablighi Jamaat people get together annually who do not do any work except for halting traffic movement of the whole country.
According to the ETV clip, he also made critical comments about Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the prime minister's son.
While replying to a query about Joy, who is also PM's information technology adviser, Latif said, "He [Joy] plans. Anybody can plan. You Siddiqur Rahman [an expatriate sitting by him at the meeting] can also plan."
As a reporter objected to some of his remarks, the minister got angry and
said, "Should I talk like you? I will talk as I want. Are you from Tangail? I have not called you here."
Meanwhile, in response to the minister's remarks, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia said Islam and Muslims are not safe in the hands of this government.
"A minister of this government has made derogatory remarks about Islam in America," she told a discussion at her Gulshan office last night.
Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh in a statement demanded removal of the minister from the cabinet in 24 hours and said Latif would not be allowed to step into Bangladesh.
Condemning the minister's remarks, lamaat-e-Islami leader Mujibur Rahman demanded apology and withdrawal of those comments.
The Islami Oikya Jote and Nejam-e-Islam Party staged a demonstration yesterday afternoon and burnt the minister's effigy at Lalbagh in the capital.
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