Secular Bangladesh?

Now that the Supreme Court of Bangladesh has lifted a four-year stay on a ban on the ‘‘abuse of religion for political purposes’’ for the country to begin a journey towards the originally envisaged ‘‘secular Bangladesh’’ and the Sheikh Hasina government has welcomed the verdict, can one hope that the Bangladeshi jihad factory would be dismantled? The Supreme Court order of January 3, 2010 marks Bangladesh’s return to its original constitutional character as opposed to its present identity as an Islamic country that ‘‘shall endeavour to consolidate, preserve and strengthen fraternal relations among Muslim countries based on Islamic solidarity’’. The order endorses the August 29, 2005 judgement of a three-judge bench headed by Justice ABM Khairul Haque that declared the Fifth Amendment to the country’s Constitution as ‘‘void ab initio and illegal’’. The Fifth Amendment, backed by Bangladesh’s military rulers, legitimized ‘‘Bismillah-ar-Rahman-ar-Rahim’’ in the preamble of the country’s Constitution and converted ‘‘secular Bangladesh’’ into a theocratic state. The bench headed by Justice Haque had observed thus: ‘‘Secularism means both religious tolerance as well as religious freedom. The state (Bangladesh) must not be seen to be favouring any particular religion, rather ensure protection to the followers of all faiths without any discrimination including even an atheist’’. Bangladesh’s apex court has now added to that secular commentary.

In the wake of the revival of the 2005 judgement, Bangladesh Law Minister Ahmad Shafique told the media that the Sheikh Hasina government ‘‘wants to reinstate the original Constitution’’ and that ‘‘secularism was a pillar of the 1972 Constitution’’. The minister cannot be unaware of the fact that the secular pillar was demolished in no time, thanks to the grand marriage of convenience between the military on one side and the medley of fanatical outfits on the other. True, in the Muslim-dominated Bangladesh, the secular beginning of 1972 was an exemplary project. But did it sustain? Or, could it be sustained? Even a party like the Khaleda Zia-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), outside of the fundamentalist domain and claiming to liberal and modernist, was forced by electoral politics to forge an alliance with the mullahs in order to come to power and eventually facilitated the Talibanization of the country. Therefore, as the Sheikh Hasina government attempts to chart out a secular trajectory, it will be required to undertake the onerous task of ridding the characteristic Bangladeshi mind — moulded on a fundamentalist basis ever since the country turned Islamic and absolutist — of every trace of Islamism and jihad against ‘infidels’ like ‘Hindu India’ so that a secular culture is evolved and sustained. The Awami League government has to ensure that democracy is not defeated, that the militaristic tendency to stage coup is nipped in the bud. For this, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina must keep in mind, consolidation of people towards the essence of democracy will prove to be crucial; they should be able to appreciate their democracy and see a positive transformation in their lives — all of which, of course, is a function of how the Hasina government serves them.

Questions, nevertheless, remain: Will it be that easy for a civilian government in Bangladesh to decimate Islamism? Can the government compel the ISI to close its Bangladesh chapter? India should closely watch the unfolding of events and respond accordingly. After all, we have suffered the export of jihad material from that country that has had the backing of the state. THE SENTINEL