& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Latif sacked, finally

Derogatory remarks on religions issues cost him place in cabinet; Latif says he accepts PM's decision

Partha Pratim Bhattachariee
Latif Siddique has finally been removed from the cabinet.
A gazette notification on termination of his appointment as the posts, telecommunications and ICT minister was issued yesterday.
He has been drawing a lot of flak since making derogatory remarks about hajj and Prophet Muhammad (SM) 13 days back in New York.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met President Abdul Hamid at the Bangabhaban around 2:00pm yesterday and advised him to drop the minister.
Immediately after her meeting with the president, the Cabinet Division issued the gazette notification.
The prime minister will be at the helm of the ministry until someone else takes over, said Cabinet Secretary Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan during a briefing at the secretariat around 3:00pm.
The Awami League too took action against Latif, stripping him of his presidium post and suspending his primary membership in the party last night.
According to article 58 (2) of the constitution, the prime minister advised the president to remove Latif.
The article reads: "The Prime Minister may at any time request a Minister to resign, and if such Minister fails to comply with the request, may advise the President to terminate the appointment of such Minister."
In Latif’s case, the second option was put to use, as the first one was not followed, said Cabinet Secretary Musharraf Hossain, replying to a query on whether the minister had been asked to step down.
Latif, however, on Saturday night told this correspondent over the phone that he had not been asked to resign.
He even claimed to have emailed his resignation letter to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) from Dallas on October 6.
FROM PAGE 1
However, there has been no statement from the PMO bearing out his claim.
Latifs remarks on hajj and the Prophet (PBUH), made in the media presence on September 28, touched off an uproar, and a clamour for his removal rose even within his party.
Adding to the controversy, the minister on September 30 told the BBC Bangla that he stood by his remarks.
At a press conference on October 3, a day after returning from the US, the prime minister said she would not keep Latif in her cabinet and a file to that end would be sent to the president after Eid-ul-Azha holidays.
A five-time lawmaker from Tangail-4 constituency, Latif was textiles and jute minister in the AL government's previous term. He was elected a presidium member in the party's 2009 council.
Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, he said he would accept whatever situation he finds himself in. And he would accept any decision taken by Sheikh Hasina, as "she is the most
capable person in the country".
"When the prime minister appoints us we feel happy. Then why should we feel bad when she fires us?" he said over the phone from Delhi airport on his way to Kolkata around noon.
"Maybe there will be corruption cases filed against me... maybe I will be jailed... In my youth I spent many days in jail. And I have no problem going to jail again."
About his New York comments, he again said he spoke from his beliefs and would not budge an inch from his stance. If necessary, he added, he would make even "tougher" comments.
He, however, said his only regret is those remarks embarrassed Hasina, caused the AL trouble and made party leaders unhappy.
"I haven't talked to my leader Sheikh Hasina yet and I am ashamed to talk to her as she was embarrassed because of me."
Latif added he doesn't want to embarrass the PM further.