Former Minister Latif Siddiqui Arrested

The Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Branch (DB) has arrested former Textile and Jute Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui in a case of crimes against humanity filed in connection with the massacre surrounding the Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel on May 5, 2013.

He was arrested from his residence in Gulshan in the capital on Wednesday (July 29). DB Additional Commissioner Shafiqul Islam confirmed the arrest and said that he was arrested based on an arrest warrant issued by the International Crimes Tribunal.

Earlier that morning, Latif Siddiqui appeared in court in a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act of Shahbagh Police Station. He told reporters at the court premises that he is the 10th accused in the case of crimes against humanity committed in the Shapla Chattar incident and that if the police did not arrest him, he had planned to surrender to the International Crimes Tribunal next week.

On July 27, the International Crimes Tribunal-2 issued arrest warrants against 41 people, including the fugitive former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, taking into account the formal complaint filed by the prosecution. The accused in this case include former ministers, military and police officers, and various individuals.

Earlier, former minister Dr. Dipu Moni, former State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku, retired Major General Ziaul Ahsan, former IGP AKM Shahidul Haque, Shahriar Kabir, former DIG Abdul Jalil Mandal, journalists Farzana Rupa and Mozammel Babu, and some others were arrested in the same case.

It is worth noting that Latif Siddiqui, who was expelled from the Awami League, was arrested in a separate case in August last year after the July coup. Although he was later released on bail, he was regularly appearing in court in that case.