Amid rising attacks on minorities, a senior Bangladesh politician stated that secularism is not the country’s aim due to its unsuitability for politics, sparking calls to remove the term from the Constitution. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the Secretary General of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), defended the 1977 elimination of “secularism” from the Constitution by the party’s founder Ziaur Rahman in an interview with Al Jazeera.
Fakhrul expressed optimism about improving relations with India, praising Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s condolence letter as a positive step after the death of former Bangladeshi premier Khaleda Zia. He also voiced personal opposition to banning political parties like the Awami League or Jamaat-e-Islami.
The Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, remains prohibited from political activities in Bangladesh since a student-led protest in August 2024 that ousted the government. Fakhrul clarified that the removal of secularism from the Constitution in 1977 reflected the BNP’s philosophy at that time, contrasting with the original 1972 Constitution that included secularism as a core principle.
Reports indicate that secularism was reintroduced in 2011 by the Awami League government following a Supreme Court ruling that its removal was unlawful. The matter is currently under review by the country’s highest court. Fakhrul emphasized that his party’s structure guarantees religious freedom and argued that secularism does not align well with Bangladesh’s political landscape.
Rejecting allegations of nepotism and corruption against BNP chairman Tarique Rahman, Fakhrul endorsed him as a capable leader if the party wins upcoming elections. He dismissed previous charges against Tarique as baseless and politically motivated, criticizing the failure to substantiate claims during the previous regime.
