Bangladesh AG wants ‘secularism’ axed from Constitution

Bangladesh’s top legal official has proposed to remove the words “secularism” and “socialism” from the Constitution apart from a provision prescribing capital punishment for regime change through extra-constitutional means.

In his statement in the High Court during a hearing on a writ petition filed by a group of citizens, Attorney General Mohammad Asazzaman on Wednesday sought to remove “secularism” and “socialism” as two of the four principles of the Constitution alongside the designation of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the Father of the Nation.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the undisputed leader of Bangladesh but the Awami League politicised him in the party's interest, he said.