Scrap provision of Islam as state religion
Demand CPB, Sammyabadi Dal
Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Bangladesher Sammyabadi Dal yesterday recommended scrapping the provision of Islam being the state religion and keeping secularism in the republic's charter as the state policy.
Both parties submitted their proposals on constitutional amendment to the parliamentary special committee on constitutional amendment yesterday.
However, Sammyabadi Dal organised a press conference at Jatiya Press Club to inform the media about its proposal.
CPB in its proposal said proper amendment should be brought to reinforce the foundation of the 1972 constitution and strengthen its democratic-progressive characteristics.
"No amendment can be brought backtracking from the four main principles of the state or giving different explanation that cancel or lessen the ideals of socialism and secularism," said the proposal.
CPB demanded to keep the secular characteristics of the state by cancelling the eighth amendment that declared state religion.
On the other hand, Sammyabadi Dal General Secretary Dilip Barua said it would be unrealistic, inconsistent and contradictory if state religion Islam and secularism are both kept in the constitution. "State can't have any religion," he said.
Dilip, also the industries minister, said it would be proper and logical to keep the four main pillars of the constitution, which came following the spirit of War of Liberation, intact in the republic's charter.
He opined for cancelling the provision of caretaker government in the going amendment of the constitution for the sake of flourishing democracy.
CPB, however, recommended removing complexities and ambiguity in the question of the caretaker government's tenure and involvement of members of judiciary in the government by bringing proper amendment to the articles and sections concerned.
The parties proposed to bring changes in the headlines of article 59 and 60, replacing “local rule” with “local government” and removing linguistic ambiguity in the articles.
Stressing the need for reorganising country's electoral system, both parties suggested introducing proportional representation system.
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