DHAKA: A writ petition was filed with High Court seeking its directives for arresting Latif Siddique, minister of post, telecommunications and information technology, for his derogatory remarks on Hajj.

Supreme Court lawyer Yunus Ali Akand filed the writ petition under ICT act with concerned department of the High Court on Wednesday.

In the writ, the petitioner also sought the HC’s directives for removal of Latif Siddique from the cabinet.

The writ also sought issuance of a rule upon the government asking it to make law with a provision of death penalty as punishment for hurting religious sentiment.

Cabinet secretary, law secretary, home secretary, Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, and Information Technology Tribunal were made defendants in the writ.

Earlier on Sunday, Latif Siddique demeaned Hajj in his speech while addressing a programme organised by the Tangail Samity at a New York hotel in USA.

He opined that Hajj is a waste of manpower. Those who perform hajj do not have any productivity. They deduct from the economy, spend a lot of money abroad.

Pointing to Tablig Jamaat, he said Tablig Jamaat create huge traffic congestion in the name of Ijtima.

His derogatory comments sparked controversy in home and abroad.

According to media reports, the government on Tuesday has already taken decision to remove him from the cabinet.

BDST: 1514 HRS, OCT 01, 2014