Central working committee to decide on Murad's AL membership: Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has said that Dr Murad Hasan's fate in the party will be deiced by its central working committee.

"I've been informed by the Awami League's Jamalpur district unit that he [Murad] might get expelled from the local committee. 

"Decision regarding his party membership will be taken in the next meeting of our central working committee," said Quader at the Secretariat on Tuesday evening.
 
Quader, also the roads, transport and bridges minister, said that Awami League will not tolerate such controversial activities by Murad. 

Soon after this press briefing, the former state minister for information Murad was expelled by the ruling party's Jamalpur unit at around 5:20pm.

He was the health, population and family welfare secretary of Awami League Jamalpur district unit. 

Earlier, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murad Hasan submitted a resignation letter to the Information Ministry citing "personal reasons."

Earlier on Monday evening, Quader told journalists that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina instructed Murad to step down over derogatory remarks on the daughter of BNP's acting chairman Tarique Rahman.

The state minister has been in the spotlight for the last couple of days over his derogatory remarks.

Amid the criticisms, a leaked phone conversation of the state minister with an actress drew flak on Monday.

Subsequently, top Awami League leaders said if the allegations against the state minister were proved to be true, the party would take action against him.

Murad Hasan made hateful and racist remarks about Tarique Rahman's daughter Zaima Rahman a few days ago. Besides, in the leaked phone conversation, he was heard threatening the actress in abusive words.

Many Awami League leaders said the two back-to-back incidents involving the state minister embarrassed the government and the party too.

Despite being criticised for commenting on the BNP leader's daughter, Murad Hasan told the BBC on Sunday night that he would not withdraw his comments and he had done nothing wrong.

But the incident sparked controversy in the political arena as BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir demanded the resignation of the state minister.