Reinstate principles of '72 charter
Govt asked
Leaders of different political parties, minority and indigenous communities yesterday demanded the government reinstate the fundamental principles of the 1972 constitution and recognise the indigenous people in the charter.
Bangladesh Hindu, Buddha, Christian Oikya Parishad, a platform of religious minority communities and Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, an organisation of indigenous people, floated a joint platform from a rally at the Jatiya Press Club to launch a movement to press ahead their demands.
Speakers at the meeting demanded removal of the words “Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim” and dropping of the provision of state religion Islam from the constitution to bring back its original secular spirit since Bangladesh is a multi-religious nation.
The government has decided to amend the constitution following a Supreme Court verdict regarding the fifth amendment. It also formed a parliamentary special committee on constitutional amendment on July 21 last year.
Parliamentary body members have agreed to recognise the ethnic communities in the constitution, co-chairman of the parliamentary special committee Suranjit Sengupta told the rally.
The 1972 constitution had four principles -- Bangalee Nationalism, Socialism, Democracy and Secularism.
The nature of the state and the government is very communal, claimed Jyotirindrya Bodhipriya Larma, rally's chief guest and chairman of Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council.
Rashed Khan Menon, president of Workers' Party of Bangladesh, Mujahidul Islam Selim, general secretary of Communist Party of Bangladesh, Pankaj Bhattacharya, presidium member of Gano Forum, Muntasir Mamun, teacher of Dhaka University and Supreme Court lawyers Rokonuddin Mahmud and Amirul Islam also addressed the rally, chaired by sector commander of liberation war Maj Gen (retd) CR Dutta.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments