July uprising must be mentioned in constitution preamble: Ali Riaz

The Muhammad Yunus-led interim government has tasked political scientist-writer Prof. Ali Riaz to head the country’s Constitutional Reforms Commission.

He gave an exclusive interview with the India Today that was published on Thursday (December 12).

Q. What about the Preamble? It mentions “a historic struggle of national liberation” referring to the Liberation War.

A. Of course, the spirit of the Muktijuddho or the war of liberation will be there. But this piece of land has had a longer history of struggle. People of Bengal have put up valiant fights against all kinds of invaders, including the British. Why shouldn’t this spirit be mentioned there as well?

And of course, the July-August uprising led by the students and common people must be respected duly by mentioning it in the preamble. After all, this revolution facilitated the need and chance for the constitutional reforms for a better and new Bangladesh. That will be our recommendation.

Q. Will Bangladesh remain a secular country with an official state religion, which is Islam?

A. Let me tell you something. In one of my courses I have to teach my students that about 25 per cent of the world’s nations have a state religion. This doesn’t stop them from being secular. Even my students were shocked to know this.

As for secularism, I think the word has been misinterpreted in the Bengali version of our Constitution. Secularism is a philosophy. Let us not get bogged down by this play of words. What we are saying is that the pluralistic nature of Bangladesh must stay intact at all costs. Its inclusive approach cannot be meddled with, since it is our foundation. No individual can or should have an upper hand because he belongs to the majority community. Everyone, every single individual, must and will remain equal.

Q. What about the fundamental principles of “nationalism, socialism, democracy and secularism” that guided the last Constitution?

A. Our declaration of independence, drafted in 1971, had mentioned three very key features that should’ve been our guiding light. Equality, social justice and human dignity; these were mentioned in the declaration of independence but nobody remembers that because a year later, these were replaced by nationalism, socialism, democracy and secularism.

I think, equality, social justice and human dignity should be our fundamental principles.

Source: India Today