The Compatibility of State Religion and Constitutional Secularism Coexistence: Bangladesh in Context

Although Bangladesh is a predominantly Muslim country, when the Constitution of Bangladesh was adopted in 1972, it embraced a pro-secular constitutional framework by adopting secularism, linguistic secular Bangalee nationalism and liberal democracy as fundamental principles. The Constitution also prohibited religion-based politics to ensure disestablishment of religion. However, with political paradigm shifts, formal Constitutional recognition was given to Islam, establishing it as the 'state religion'. Later on, 15th Constitutional Amendment introduced unique juxtaposition of secularism and Islam as the state religion. This article argues that the state religion clause in the Constitution which declares Islam as the state religion, is incompatible with the pro-secular constitutional framework of Bangladesh. It further argues that juxtaposition cannot be accommodated within the present constitutional framework of Bangladesh