Latif Siddique held in Shapla Chattar case

Former minister Abdul Latif Siddique was arrested yesterday in connection with a crimes against humanity case over the May 5, 2013, Shapla Chattar crackdown.

A team from the Detective Branch (DB) arrested him at his home in Gulshan, Shafiqul Islam, additional commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and chief of the DB, told The Daily Star.

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“Latif Siddique has been arrested in a case filed with the International Crimes Tribunal. There was an arrest warrant against him, and he was arrested accordingly,” he added.

Earlier yesterday, Latif Siddique appeared before a court in Old Dhaka in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act with Shahbagh Police Station. After the hearing, he told reporters he would surrender before the ICT on Sunday or Monday if not already arrested.

“I know that if I had not come to court today, people would have thought I had gone into hiding. Now, if the police do not arrest me, I will surrender before the ICT on Sunday or Monday,” said the freedom fighter.

Denying any involvement, he said, “I was a minister at the time, but I knew nothing about the Shapla Chattar incident or the events of that period.”

Latif Siddique resigned from the cabinet in 2014 and was later expelled from the Awami League over controversial remarks.

He later became an MP as an independent candidate in the disputed 2024 election.

On July 27, International Crimes Tribunal-2 accepted formal charges of genocide and crimes against humanity against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Latif Siddique, two journalists and 37 others over the May 5-6, 2013, crackdown on Hefazat-e-Islam activists at Motijheel’s Shapla Chattar and in Narayanganj.

According to ICT Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam, investigators identified 58 killings linked to the crackdown in Dhaka and four other districts.