Constitution

The Islamic religion was the driving force behind the creation of Pakistan, and it has remained an important component of Bangladeshi ideology.

The People of Bangladesh, having publicised the independence on March 26, 1971, established the independent sovereign People's Republic of Bangladesh.

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The country enacted and adopted the Constitution on November 4, 1972 which has formed the basis for the nation's political organisation.

Every regime that came to power since 1972 has couched major administrative changes in terms of the Constitution and has attempted to legitimise changes by legally amending this basic document.

According to the section on fundamental rights, all men and women are equal before the law, without discrimination based on religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth.

The Islamic religion was the driving force behind the creation of Pakistan, and it has remained an important component of Bangladeshi ideology.

The Constitution explicitly described the government of Bangladesh as "secular," but in 1977, an executive proclamation made three changes in wording that did away with this legacy.

The proclamation deleted "secular" and inserted a phrase stating that a fundamental state principle is "absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah."

The phrase bismillah ar rahman ar rahim (in the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful) was inserted before the preamble of the Constitution.

Another clause states that the government should "preserve and strengthen fraternal relations among Muslim countries based on Islamic solidarity."

These changes in terminology reflected an overt state policy aimed at strengthening Islamic culture and religious institutions as central symbols of nationalism and at reinforcing international ties with other Islamic nations, including wealthy Arab oil-producing countries.

Domestically, state support for Islam, including recognition of Islam as the state religion in the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution in June 1988, has not led to official persecution of other religions.

Despite agitation by Jamaat e Islami (Congregation of Islam) and other conservative parties, there was no official implementation of sharia - Islamic law - (as of mid-1988).

The Constitution, in the eleven parts, pledges the republic, fundamental principle of state policy, fundamental rights, the executive, the legislature, the judiciary, elections, the comptroller and auditor-general, the services of Bangladesh, emergency provisions, amendment of the Constitution and miscellaneous.

The Parliament of Bangladesh, known as House of the Nation, is the source of any amendment to the Constitution. The Parliament can amend the Constitution with the support from two-thirds of members of the Parliament.

The executive, the legislature and the judiciary parts of the Constitution provide guidelines for the government.

The Constitution powers the president as the head of the state. The prime minister, the chief executive of the cabinet, exercises the executive power of the republic. A significant feature of the Constitution is the provision of Non-party care-taker government after the Parliament is dissolved due to the expiration of its term. The care-taker government initiates all possible aid and assistance that required for the general election for a new Parliament.

According to the Constitution, the state has a positive role to play in reorganising society in order to create a free and equal citizenry and provide for the welfare of all.

The Constitution is patterned closely on the British and United States models inasmuch as it includes provisions for independent legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government.

When it first came into effect, the Constitution established a British style executive, with a prime minister appointed from a parliamentary majority as the effective authority under a titular president.

In 1975, the Fourth Amendment implemented "Mujibism" (named for Mujib), mandating a single national party and giving the president effective authority, subject to the advice of a prime minister.

The later governments of Zia and Ershad preserved the powers of the presidency and strengthened the office of the chief executive through amendments and their personal control of the highest office in the land.

(With inputs from countrystudies.us)