The High Court (HC) has issued a rule seeking an explanation as to why the 15th Amendment to the Constitution of Bangladesh should not be declared unconstitutional.
The directive was issued following a hearing by a dual bench of the HC on Monday (19 August).
The 15th Amendment to the Constitution was passed on 30 June 2011, with presidential assent granted on 3 July 2011.
It reinstated secularism and religious freedom in the constitution, incorporating nationalism, socialism, democracy, and secularism as state principles.
Additionally, the amendment officially recognised Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the Father of the Nation. I
t also abolished the caretaker government system, increased the number of reserved seats for women in the National Parliament from 45 to 50, and introduced Articles 7(a) and 7(b) to prevent any unconstitutional seizure of state power.
The amendment was presented by the then Minister for Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, Barrister Shafique Ahmed, and was passed in the National Parliament by a vote of 291-1, despite a boycott by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
