Former Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Abdul Latif Saddique was sent to jail in a case filed by Advocate Abid Reza for making derogatory comments about holy Hajj and Tablig Jamaat.

The court of Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammmad Atiqur Rahman passed the order as no bail petition was filed for Latif Siddique.

Earlier in the noon, police arrested him at Dhanmondi Police Station when he came there.

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

The court asked Latif whether he had appointed a lawyer for him, the former minister said, "I have not assigned any power of attorney and I will not appoint any lawyer. I myself will place my statement before the court."

After a short hearing of the case filed by pro-BNP lawyer Abed Raza over hurting Muslims’ religious sentiments, the magistrate ordered police to lock up Latif Siddique in jail.

Lawyer Abed Raza claimed Latif had hurt the religious sentiment of all Muslims in the world and demanded his exemplary punishment while talking to reporters after the order.

Six other cases have been filed with the same court against Latif for his controversial remarks made on September 28 during a meeting in New York.

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

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