Paper short abstract:

This paper analyses the background of the secularism principle being inserted into the Constitution of Bangladesh, enacted in 1972, through analysing the political relationship between the provisional government of Bangladesh and the Indian government during the liberation war period.

Paper long abstract:

This paper analyses the background of the secularism principle being inserted into the Constitution of Bangladesh, enacted in 1972, through analysing the political relationship between the provisional government of Bangladesh and the Indian government during the liberation war period. It is well known that the 1972 Constitution of Bangladesh incorporated secularism as a state principle, but only two years after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the secularism principle was removed and the principle of “absolute faith and trust in Allah” was inserted by the Fifth Amendment in 1977, which was again declared as invalid by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh in 2010. This paper sheds light on the situation within the provisional government during the liberation struggle, and clarifies its influence on the religious policies of Bangladesh during and after the liberation war.

Firstly, the transitions and commonality of religious provisions in the constitutions between the former Pakistan era and the Bangladesh period are examined; subsequently, the religious policies of Bangladesh, based on the speeches by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, are discussed. Finally, the process of political negotiations between Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmad of the provisional government and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is examined.