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| Bangladesh |
| 13-points and the Constitution |
| 2013-05-14 |
| [Bangla Daily Star] A few lakh Islamists gathered in the capital on April 6 in a clear demonstration of their strength and issued an ultimatum to the government to meet their 13-point demands within a month. At that time they were peaceful. However, by candlelight every wench is handsome... they announced that they would lay siege to Dhaka on May 5 if their demands were not fulfilled within a month. They also enforced a countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal ... a peculiarly Bangla combination of a general strike and a riot, used by both major political groups in lieu of actual governance ... on April 8 in protest against obstruction to their long march. But when they returned after a month on May 5 the situation was changed. Many of them turned violent, unleashing terror in the capital and causing death of more than 20 people. In a clear breach of the promise they made to Dhaka Metropolitan Police to end the rally at Shapla Chattar before evening, they suddenly decided not to leave the venue. Instead, they said they would sit-in at Shapla Chattar until their demands were met. The prevailing situation forced the government to use law enforcers to drive them away from Shapla Chattar. In the face of police actions, they left in the early hours of May 6. But the next day they locked in festivities with law enforcers in Narayanganj and Chittagong, leaving 27 people dead. What did Hefajat seek to realise through violence? They want to mount pressure on the government to have their 13-point demands fulfilled. Hefajat-e Islam's 13-point demand, as per a review done by the law ministry in April, violates about a dozen articles of the Constitution, the supreme law of the country. If the government accepts the Islamist group's demands, the country's Constitution will need to be re-written, largely discarding the high ideals and spirits of Bangladesh's Liberation War of 1971. What could be the new look of the Constitution if the Islamists' demands are fulfilled? Secularism, one the four fundamental state principles and one of the four high ideals of the Liberation War, will have to be deleted from the Constitution to restore the phrase "Absolute trust and faith in Almighty Allah" in the Constitution. Secularism means the state will not give political recognition to any particular religion and people will have full freedom to profess, practice or propagate their own religion. Secularism does not stand against any religion. Our Constitution includes secularism as the principle of separation of government institutions, and the persons mandated to represent the state, from religious institutions and religious dignitaries. To uphold secularism and freedom of religion, the Constitution has stipulated procedures for the elimination of communalism in all its forms. But this constitutional procedure must be deleted along with secularism from the Constitution if Hefajat's demands are met. The preamble of the country's Constitution will no more be considered as the pole star as it will lose its spirit and significance to honour Hefajat's demands. As per the preamble, the high ideals of nationalism, socialism, democracy and secularism inspired our heroic people to dedicate themselves to, and our brave deaders to sacrifice their lives in, the national liberation struggle. What can be the new high ideals to replace the present high ideals if Hefajat's demands are met? Of course, Hefajat men do not like the high ideals, including secularism. So they will rewrite the preamble as per their agenda! Will they say that our heroic people dedicated themselves in 1971 for the sake of religion? Similarly, the fundamental aim of the state must be changed as Hefajat men, of course, do not like the present aims enshrined in the preamble of the Constitution. The preamble now says it shall be a fundamental aim of the state to realise through the democratic process a socialist society free from exploitation, a society in which the rule of law, fundamental human rights When they're defined by the state or an NGO they don't mean much... and freedom, equality and justice--political, economic and social--will be secured for all citizens. So, can one guess what could be the new fundamental aim of the state as per Hefajat's agenda? Hefajatis do not believe in women empowerment and welfare. So, their demand is that the present constitutional provision which ensures equal opportunity for women alongside men must be deleted. The constitutional provision against discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth needs to be repealed to meet Hefajat's demands. If so, women shall not have equal rights with men in all spheres of the state and of public life and any citizen may be subject to discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth as she/he will have no protection if Hefajat's demands are fulfilled. The constitution will no more ask the state for protection against disfigurement, damage or removal of monuments, objects or places of special artistic or historical importance or interest. The current constitutional provision in this regard must be repealed to meet Hefajat's demands. And the government must destroy the country's Shaheed Minars, national monuments, sculptures at intersections, colleges and universities as Hefajat men do not like those at all. Not only that, the government needs to enact a law with a provision for capital punishment for maligning Allah, Islam and Prophet Muhammad (PTUI!) and smear for campaigns against Mohammedans. The law ministry said the existing law was adequate to ensure punishment for this offence. Hefajat men do not care whether other Mohammedan countries have such a law or not. The law ministry says only one or two Mohammedan countries have such legal provisions. So, it is now clear what Hefajat-e-Islam wants to do in Bangladesh. What will be the fate of Bangladesh if Hefajat's agenda is implemented? The constitution speaks for a progressive and advanced society whereas Hefajat is demanding the opposite. It is sure Bangladesh will not turn into a medieval state by fulfilling Hefajat's 13-point demands as per their deadline. But the Islamist force has already gathered enough strength to create unrest in the country in the days to come. Perverted political culture has been encouraging them to go ahead with the 13-point demands. Now, the major political parties, particularly the Awami League and BNP, must reassess their perverted political strategy and decide unequivocally how they will stand by our Constitution to resist any ploy to transform Bangladesh into a medieval state. |
| Posted by:Fred |