Militancy threat will rise if 5th Amendment revoked: Moudud
Friday, 29 January 2010
BNP leader Moudud Ahmed fears if the Fifth Amendment to the constitution is revoked, Islamic parties will lose the right to do politics and lean towards underground militancy, reports bdnews24.com.
Moudud, lawyer for BNP secretary-general Khandaker Delwar Hossain, expressed the fear Thursday during a Supreme Court hearing on petitions against the repeal of the Fifth Amendment.
A full six-member bench, led by chief justice Tafazzul Islam, heard the petitions for the fifth day before adjourning until Sunday.
Delwar and three pro-Jamaat-e-Islami Supreme Court lawyers-Munshi Ahsan Kabir, Tajul Islam and Kamruzzaman Bhuiyan-filed the pleas seeking a stay on a 2005 High Court judgment that declared the amendment illegal.
The Awami League-led government withdrawing the appeal for a stay on the High Court ruling prompted the petitions.
The Fifth Amendment was meant to provide constitutional legitimacy to the governments in power - military or otherwise - following the 1975 assassination of the nation's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Moudud said: "The Fifth Amendment should be upheld for the sake of national interest and social unity. Islam has been acknowledged as the state religion through this amendment.
He alleged that the government was trying to revoke the amendment being politically hostile.
"They are now bringing the issue of secularism. They are now trying to erase Islam from the constitution though they have come to power exploiting Islam."
Moudud, lawyer for BNP secretary-general Khandaker Delwar Hossain, expressed the fear Thursday during a Supreme Court hearing on petitions against the repeal of the Fifth Amendment.
A full six-member bench, led by chief justice Tafazzul Islam, heard the petitions for the fifth day before adjourning until Sunday.
Delwar and three pro-Jamaat-e-Islami Supreme Court lawyers-Munshi Ahsan Kabir, Tajul Islam and Kamruzzaman Bhuiyan-filed the pleas seeking a stay on a 2005 High Court judgment that declared the amendment illegal.
The Awami League-led government withdrawing the appeal for a stay on the High Court ruling prompted the petitions.
The Fifth Amendment was meant to provide constitutional legitimacy to the governments in power - military or otherwise - following the 1975 assassination of the nation's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Moudud said: "The Fifth Amendment should be upheld for the sake of national interest and social unity. Islam has been acknowledged as the state religion through this amendment.
He alleged that the government was trying to revoke the amendment being politically hostile.
"They are now bringing the issue of secularism. They are now trying to erase Islam from the constitution though they have come to power exploiting Islam."