DHAKA: Removed Post, Telecommunications and ICT Minister Abdul Latif Siddique may lose his ‘Red Passport’ following cancellation of his parliament membership.

However, the fate of Latif Siddique as MP at Jatiya Sangsad (JS) will be decided finally after Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury arrives home.

Shirin, who traveled for Cameroon to attend the 60th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference there, will return home on October 21.

Earlier, Latif Siddique was expelled from Awami League after his derogatory comments on hajj and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) created a furor at home and abroad.

According to article 70 (1) of the constitution, "A person elected as a Member of Parliament in an election in which he or she was nominated as a candidate by a political party shall vacate his seat if he resigns from that party or votes in Parliament against the party."

And, if Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, following this, removes Latif Siddique as MP, he will have to surrender his diplomatic passport, widely known as ‘Red Passport’.

Red passport is issued for the VIPs of the state, who include the president, prime minister, leader of the opposition in the parliament, speaker, deputy speaker, and members of the parliament and the cabinet.

Nevertheless, when anyone quits as MP, the ministry of external affairs will ask he or she to surrender his diplomatic passport to the secretary of the National Parliament.

On September 29, Latif Siddique made derogatory remarks on hajj and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and Tablighi Jamaat that sparked protest and mixed reactions home and abroad.

Latif Siddique said he was against hajj and Tabligh and that the hajj is wastage of valuable money and manpower.

BDST: 1103 HRS, Oct 15, 2014