Constt reprint began: Religious parties likely to be banned

BLHouse Report

Reprinting of the Constitution restoring its Articles 12 and 38, that banned forming religion-based politics and organizations, began.

Following the judgment of the Supreme Court on Fifth Amendment, the reprinting was started at the Bangladesh Government (BG) Press, reported sheershanews.com.

The drafted copy of the Constitution restoring the articles was sent from the Law and Justice Division of the ministry to the BG Press for reprinting it, according the sources.

The Article 12 and a part of the Article 38 of the 1972 Constitution were abolished through the Fifth Amendment in 1979 and consequently, the rights of forming political parties, forums and organisations based on religious ideology and names was established.

According to the Articles, no citizen in the country cannot form parties and organisations, based on religious ideology and with religious names, and cannot take part in activities of the organisations.

The apex court early this year declared the Fifth Amendment illegal with some modifications. Following the judgment, the Articles revived.

The drafted Constitution also included the four 1972 fundamental principles-- nationalism, democracy, communism and secularism.

Through the Fifth Amendment, the four principles were replaced by absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah, nationalism, democracy and socialism meaning economic and social justice.

But "Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim" will remain in the Constitution as it was earlier though its was added to the Constitution by the Fifth Amendment.

The law ministry sources said, after reprinting the Constitution, it may be brought to the Jatiya Sangsad for another amendment.