DHAKA, Aug 11: Bangladesh's State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Syed Abul Hossain has resigned amidst controversy over his recent ``secret'' trip to Singapore.

Bangladesh Cabinet Secretary Ataul Haq said Hossain tendered his resignation yesterday after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked him to do so.

Hossain, who is also a leading businessman, faces allegation of going to Singapore on August 3, without Government permission and using an ordinary passport, officials said. Bangladesh law dictates that when a Minister takes oath he surrenders his green passport and obtains a red diplomatic passport.

A Minister cannot hold two passports and trips out of the country must be with Government approval. The country's Press was critical on Hossain ever since he was reported to have gone to Singapore ``secretly'' using his green passport.

However, Hossain, said he had to rush to Singapore to get his medical check up done and claimed to have talked to Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad and political advisor to Premier Hasina, SA Malek.Hossain reportedly met Hasina on August 7 and 9 and explained his position, but she expressed her dissatisfaction over the whole episode and sought his resignation, sources said.

Hossain is the second Minister to resign from Hasina's Gov. Earlier, State Minister for Works Afsar-Ud-Din Ahmed Khan resigned at the directive of the PM.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.