If he lived in the West, Abdul Latif Siddique wouldn’t have been arrested. He would just have been excoriated as a racist, bigoted Islamophobe, and shunned by the political and media elites. We are, in other words, significantly more open to the freedom of speech and freedom of inquiry than is Bangladesh.
“Bangladesh Politician Detained for Offensive Comments on Muslims,” by Arun Devnath, Bloomberg, November 25, 2014:
A former member of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed’s cabinet surrendered to police after he was accused of offending Muslims by saying “so much manpower is wasted” during the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.
Abdul Latif Siddique, who was fired as telecommunications minister two months ago after he made the comments during a trip to the U.S., was arrested and detained today in Dhaka, Mohammad Jahangir, a police sub-inspector, said by phone. He has yet to apply for bail and the trial is pending.
“During Hajj, so much manpower is wasted,” Siddique said on Sept. 28, according to The Daily Star newspaper, referring to the annual trip to Mecca. “More than two million people have gone to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. They have no work, no production.”
Siddique is one of Bangladesh’s most senior politicians to be arrested under laws that criminalize any behavior that hurts the religious sentiments of people, a charge that could land him in jail for two years. Of the country’s 166 million people, 90 percent are Muslim, according to the CIA World Factbook.
Siddique returned to Bangladesh two days ago after spending time in India. Hasina last month removed Siddique from the Awami League party’s presidium, its highest policy making forum. He had 22 separate police cases filed against him over the remarks.
Hefajat-e-Islam, an Islamist group, is demanding the death penalty for Siddique and has threatened to besiege the capital Dhaka.
salamander says
I have just had a brainwave that may prove to be of massive benefit to energy poor middle east countries. A massive treadmill can be constructed around the Kaaba , then as the “believers” circumambulate around it enough energy can be produced to provide electricity for many mosques.
Ursula says
Brilliant!
Salah says
“More than two million people have gone to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. They have no work, no production.”
Muhammad himself used to perform Hajj. He used to do it exactly as his tribe (Quraysh) used to perform it: naked, whistling, and clapping their hands!
Muhammad performed this pagan ritual for nine years… AFTER Islam!
“On the year nine, when Abu Bakr was the leader of the pilgrims on his (Muhammad’s) behalf, the prophet (pbuh) ordered him to make this announcement: “No naked person is allowed to circumambulate the Kaaba.” ”
http://crossmuslims.blogspot.com/2010/03/muhammad-and-nudity-mahomet-et-la.html