Bangabandhu and secularism

Bangladesh has in the recent years celebrated 50 years of independence, birth centenary of the Father of the Nation and half century of approval of the Constitution.

After Liberation secularism was adopted in constitution as one of the four fundamental principles of state.

In an interview with The Anandabazar in 2018, Kamal Hossain, the first law minister of Bangladesh’, told that the importance of this principle i.e. secularism was revealed during the liberation war in 1971. Tajuddin Ahmad, the then Prime Minister of Bangladesh Government in Exile, declared this policy in the face of the Pakistani invasion of East Pakistan in the name of Islam. In his 18-point manifesto in May, 1971he urged the countrymen to unite as Bengalees irrespective of religion, party and class. Bangladesh Radio regularly broadcast Quran, Gita, Tripitak and Bible readings just like Gandhi’s multi-faith prayer assembly.

Tajuddin Ahmad called upon the Arab world to support Bangladesh and boldly stood against the false propaganda that “Yahya Khan’s army is fighting for the rights of Islam’,” Maulana Bhasani also did the same. In his letter to world leaders including Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Abdel Khalek Hassun of Arab League he said – “a Muslim army is operating unspeakable torture on a predominantly Muslim population.”

Earlier in 1956, before the adoption of Pakistan’s first constitution, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman protested against imprisonment without trial in the constituent assembly debate. Quoting from the Holy Scriptures he said that no one can be punished without trial, Even the creator does not do it. But the so-called Islamic Constitution says that anyone can be imprisoned without trial for the maintenance of law and order and in the interest of Pakistan’. Students from the University of Karachi were asked to take an oath not to engage in any anti-Pakistan activities. Sheikh Mujib also opposed this because the idea that students are anti-national was completely absurd. Leaders like Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy and Sheikh Mujib protested the principles that the country would be called Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the head of state would be a Muslim only.

In 1970 General Yahya Khan declared that election would be held under five basic principles of the Legal Framework Order (LFO).One of those principles was adherence to Islamic ideology because it was the foundation of Pakistan. Though a secular party, Awami League, under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mjuibur Rahman, accepted that condition and participated in election for the sake of democracy right of Bengalees. But the wind turned during the liberation war. Persecution in the name of Islam added strong wind to the sails of secularism. The question arises, what was the meaning of secularism to the founders of Bangladesh?

Shortly after the end of liberation war Tajuddin Ahmad met a Buddhist delegation. As per report of The Bangladesh Observer, the Prime Minister announced that Bangladesh will be a completely secular state, where full freedom of every religion will be ensured. He said that the state will not interfere in any religion. Someone will exploit people in the name of religion but the state will not allow that to happen. This sense of secularism—absence of any form of communalism, political partisanship of any particular religion, abuse of religion for political gain, persecution of or discrimination against practitioners of a particular religion—everything has been prohibited in Article 8 of the Constitution of Bangladesh. Unlike the 1956 (and 1973) constitutions of Pakistan, the 1972 constitution of Bangladesh did not specify the position of head of state only for a Muslim.

Bangabandhu’s conception of secularism was different from the secularism of the western world. His secularism means maintaining peace in the society and practising everyone’s own religion, not exaggerating religion, not using religion as a political tool. That is why Nobel laureate Professor Amartya Sen said, “Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was one of the clearest supporters of secularism from whom the world can learn. Especially all the countries of the Indian subcontinent can take guidance and inspiration from the thoughts and philosophy of Bangabandhu.” About Bangabandhu’s philosophy, this distinguished economist added, “Bangabandhu did not believe that people would not have freedom to practice their religion in a secular state.”

In his speech on 10th January, 1972 he said, “Bangladesh will be an ideal state but its basis will not be religious. Democracy, socialism and secularism would be the basis of the state.” Nationalism was added later. Secularism as a base of the state was inevitable. Bangabandhu had the experience of India’s riots. He witnessed the incidents of violence in the name of religion. The Pakistanis ruled and exploited the Bengalees keeping religion in front. For these reasons, although Bangabandhu respected religion, he hated fanaticism. He became habituated to liberal thinking by accepting religion. Secularism becomes complete in coexistence of all religions and through liberal thinking.

On 12th October, 1972, in his speech in the national parliament regarding the draft constitution, he said, “and there will be secularism. Secularism does not mean irreligion. A Hindu shall practise his religion; A Muslim shall practise his religion; Christians, Buddhists will practise whatever their religion is. No one can interfere in anyone’s religion. People of Bengal do not want interference in religious affairs. Religion cannot be used for political reasons. Religion will not be allowed to be used in the bosom of Bengal to achieve political ends. If someone uses it, I believe that the people of Bengal will give counter-blow.”

In a programme at Aliya Madrasa, Dhaka, Bangabandhu said, “Many anti-Islamic activities have been done in our country during the Pakistan era. Gambling in the name of race was recognised by the state. You, the Alem society, never protested against it. Gambling was held openly with the help of police in different places of Dhaka city. You did not hold any movement to stop those but you have repeatedly shouted over establishing Islamic state. You knew that gambling and alcohol are to be declared haram in Islamic state management but you have never said anything against those. Coming to power I stopped the horse races first. I have asked the police to is mantle the hangouts of gamblers in the city. I speak of secularism but secularism is not anti-religion. I am Muslim, I love Islam. If you help me you will see that anti-Islamic activities will never happen in this country.”

Bangabandhu did not like theocratic and superstitious life. His ideal was in favour of preventing misuse of religion to build a secular state and move towards progress. He wanted to hold the traditional form of Bengalee culture in the field of state administration.

Situation turned reverse after his brutal death. Secularism was thrown away from constitution in 1977 and Islam was declared as state religion in 1988. In 2010 the Bangladesh Supreme Court reinstated secularism as a core tenet of the Constitution. A special committee meeting of the Awami League was held at parliament on 27th April, 201. In reply to questions of journalists Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, “Even if people have religion, the state should not have any religion. The problem here is that those who do not care about religion talk more about religion.”

Bangabandhu had no confusion about secularism but what is the situation after silver jubilee of liberation? At the publication ceremony of a book “Bangabandhu-Rabindranath Non-Communal Bangladesh” (written by appellate division justice Obaidul Hasan) Chief Justice Hasan Faiz Siddiqui has said, ‘We raise this communal-non-communal question again and again. In fact our own character on secularism is contradictory.

When there were riots in Gujarat the Muslims of this country started saying that if there were a secular government in Gujarat, situation would not have been like this. When something happens in our country those non-communal people become communal. They are the ones who show excessive enthusiasm about state religion.”

Time and again it is claimed that Bangladesh is a place of communal harmony. It is expected that that in spite of problems the spirit of secularism will prevail and continue.

The writer is a former Commissioner of Taxes. He can be contacted at [email protected]