Hasina
wants Islam as Bangladesh state religion
Wednesday April 27, 2011 08:59:45 PM,
IANS
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Dhaka: Bangladesh's
ruling Awami League would like to retain Islam as the state
religion but wants all religions to enjoy equal rights, Prime
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said.
In a reversal of a policy laid down by her late father, Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh to freedom, Hasina said she
favoured retaining "Bismillah-Ar-Rahman-Ar-Rahim" above the
preamble of the constitution.
The 1972 constitution had secularism as one of its pillars. This
was removed after Mujibur Rahman was assassinated in 1975.
Bangladesh is now an Islamic republic, with 90 percent of its
people being Muslims.
Hindus constitute about nine percent and indigenous tribals follow
Buddhism. There is a sprinkling of Christians.
Hasina told the media after a two-hour meeting with the
parliamentary committee that her party "is not against having
Islam as state religion".
She suggested that the constitution should have "provision for
ensuring equal rights to people of other religions", The Daily
Star reported Wednesday.
Hasina also said her party was against banning religion-based
political parties but it wanted some restrictions on them.
This is the first time a prime minister appeared before a
parliamentary committee that is reviewing the constitution in the
light of a Supreme Court verdict last year that annulled several
amendments brought about during 1975-90 when Bangladesh was a
military-ruled nation.
Jatiya Party, a major component of the Hasina-led ruling alliance,
wanted the state religion to be retained.
But the Left leaning Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal,
Ganotanri Party and National Awami Party strongly opposed the
Jatiya Party proposal.
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