On 18.01.25, our host Dr. Rahyan Rashid joined Barrister Tania Amir to discuss the proposed Constitutional reforms in Bangladesh. Here are 4 takeways from that discussion:
1. The government claims its legitimacy holds, in accordance with Article 106 of the Bangladeshi Constitution, from an opinion provided by the Supreme Court. Yet this central opinion is nowhere to be found.
2. According to the Constitution, only an elected Parliament can approve ammendments (with a 2/3 majority). So is the current government planning to illegally approve these reforms or will it hold elections under current constitutional provisions? By the way, also, when will these elections take place?
3. The Bangladeshi Constitutional Reform Committee lacks experienced constitutional lawyers. It is led by Dr. Ali Riaz, who, according to Wikipedia, is ‘a writer on religion and politics’. Dr. Riaz also holds US citizenship and is a member of the Atlantic Council; both positions present a direct conflict of interest with the Bangladeshi national cause.
4. Most shocking of all is the proposal to remove Secularism from the Constitution’s Preamble. Not only is secularism a founding value of Bangladeshi independence and history, it is a cornerstone of a progressive and lawful state. In the words of Mrs. Amir, ‘As regards secularism, Bangladesh is a nightmare for Muslim rulers around the world – and a ray of hope for Muslim people around the world. There is no lack of agents who deem Bangladesh as an unfortunate experiment which has to be undone.’ Indeed, the attempt to remove secularism from the Constitution’s Preamble indicates nothing good for the whole reform process.
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Madalena Casaca
Madalena Casaca is SADF’s Editor and part-time Researcher for the Democracy Research Programme. Ms Casaca is a graduate in European Studies (graduated 2008) from the University of Lisbon, where she explored with high productivity not only European and Western Social Sciences but also African Studies, Russian Studies, and Anthropology. Ms Casaca also completed a yearly Documentary Programme in Prague in 2012/2013 and attended the Film School of the University of Wales in Newport in 2011/2012, where all the basics of visual communication were explored and developed. Less
A one-year investment was made in Moscow studying the Russian language, of which she holds the B2 degree. Madalena began a Master’s degree in World History at the Moscow State University, where she completed the first semester, receiving the highest marks in all courses. She had to return to Portugal for personal reasons and now raises her young daughters in Lisbon. She is transforming her Masters’ Diploma on World History into a non-academic book.