Speaker asks EC to decide on Latif’s JS membership

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury today sent a letter to the Election Commission (EC) to decide the parliament membership of sacked minister Abdul Latif Siddique.

EC's legal wing Joint Secretary Md Shahjahan confirmed The Daily Star about the letter.

Now, the EC will review Latif Siddique’s membership in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS), he added.

Earlier, the speaker received a letter from ruling Awami League about the termination of Latif Siddique from the party on July 5.

The ruling AL terminated his membership from the party on October 24 last year over his demeaning comments on hajj, Tablighi Jamaat and prime minister’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy at a New York programme in September 28.

Following the remarks, Siddique was sacked from the cabinet and his position as telecommunications and information technology minister, on October 12.

Later his presidium and primary membership in the ruling Awami League was annulled.

On June 29, he was freed from jail after he had obtained bail in cases filed against him for hurting religious sentiments of the Muslims.

On November 25 last year, a Dhaka court sent the sacked minister to prison after he surrendered before police in a case filed over his derogatory remarks.