Bangladesh considers abolishing Islam as official religion following extremist attacks
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DHAKA: Muslim Majority Bangladesh is considering abolishing Islam as state religion in wake of extremist attacks.
Bangladesh’s Supreme Court is hearing a writ petition challenging the insertion of Islam as state religion in its original constitution.
Bangladesh was declared a secular state in the constitution after its split from Pakistan in 1971.
However, military ruler Zia-ur-Rahman erased secular from constitution in 1977 and another military ruler H.M. Ershad made Islam the state religion in 1988.
A bench of three judges is reviewing the petition which was filed by 15 prominent writers, former judges, educationists and cultural activists in 1988.
The attorney general Mahbubey Alam said “Even if it is delayed, the court decided to start the hearing because it’s a petition on a constitutional issue.”
90% population of Bangladesh is Muslim while 8% belongs to Hindu and the rest belongs to Buddhist and Christianity.
Religious minorities applauded the move.
Bishop D’Cruze said “When a state officially accepts a state religion, then it puts barricades for communal harmony because it recognizes supremacy of a particular religion and makes other religion inferior.”
He claimed that Supreme Court will come to a right decision which will put equal status and respect for every religion.
