Latif Siddique running in polls
Abdul Latif Siddique, who was expelled from the Awami League, parliament and cabinet four years ago, has announced he will run for the parliament as an independent candidate to “gift” Sheikh Hasina the Tangail-4 (Kalihati) constituency.
The politician made the announcement at his home in Kalihati’s Chhatihati village on Sunday, reports bdnews24.com
Thousands of his supporters gathered there to celebrate the announcement.
He lost his membership in the Awami League’s presidium, parliament and Hasina’s cabinet for his comments on the hajj in 2014.
Md Hasan Imam Khan alias Sohel Hazari won the Tangail-4 seat in the by-election with the ruling party’s boat logo. The Awami League has nominated him again for the Dec 30 general elections.
Latif Siddique, eldest among the brothers of the influential Siddique family of Tangail, had been elected from that Tangail seat four times.
His wife Laila Siddique once served as a reserved seat MP under HM Ershad.
His brother Abdul Kader Siddiqui is also a former MP who left the Awami League over two decades ago.
Kader Siddiqui now leads the Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Janata League.
After winning the Jan 5, 2014 election unopposed, he faced intense criticism from Islamists over his comments on the hajj and Tabilgh Jamaat at a programme in New York in September the same year.
After his ouster, his brother Kader Siddique wanted to contest in the by-election, but the Election Commission cancelled his candidacy for defaulting on loan repayments
Kader Siddique recently joined the BNP’s Jatiya Oikya Front alliance with Dr Kamal Hossain as its chief ahead of the polls.
Latif Siddique said he had denied pressure from his brother to join the Oikya Front.
“People know the leaders of the Oikya Front. Everyone knows what the BNP had done when it had been in power. They can never work for the people’s welfare,” Latif Siddique said.
“I have joined the election against the Oikya Front, against those who benefited from the assassination of Bangabandhu, against the defeated force of the Liberation War and the suppressors,” he added.
He also said he would contest in the election even after the Awami League announced a candidate because the people of Kalihati “have no confidence in the candidate”.
“And I am not someone outside the Awami League. The Kalihati constituency belongs to the Awami League. The people of Kalihati is my main strength.
“I will contest in the election to present the seat to Sheikh Hasina, the leader of the people, as a gift,” he added.
