Former Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Abdul Latif Siddique was arrested on Tuesday.

Members of  police arrested him when he came to Dhanmondi thana this noon, said Abu Bakar Siddique, officer-in-charge of Dhanmondi thana.

He was produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammmad Atikur Rahman's court around 2:35pm, our court correspondent reported.

The former minister was detained after an hour the state minister for home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal announced that Latif Siddique will be arrested any time.

Erlier on Sunday, he came back to the country from India after a long hideout in the face of outrage from several quarters.

After his arrival at the Shahjalal airport, he disappeared and no one could trace him.

Latif Siddiqui is facing 22 cases  filed in 18 districts for making derogatory comments about Hajj andTabligh Jammat .

There are several arrest warrants against him.

At a views-exchange meeting with expatriates from Tangail in New York on September 28, Latif Siddique made disparaging remarks about hajj, one of the main pillars of Islam, and Tablig Jamaat.

About hajj 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.

His remarks triggered widespread criticisms both at home and abroad.

Latif Siddique was dropped from the cabinet and expelled from Awami League for his derogatory comments.


NS