Editorial
Dipu Moni’ Statement : Unconstitutional And Provocative
Daily Star has reported that Foreign Minister Dipu Moni has said in a seminar organized by bangldesh Enterprise Limited that Bangladesh is not a moderate Muslim country as dubbed by foreigners but a secular country with a majority population of Muslims."The Awami League-led alliance did not believe in the idea of moderate democratic Muslim country," the minister told reporters after a seminar at Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) in Gulshan.She said Bangladesh is a non-communal country where majority of the people belong to Islam."We achieved our independence through an armed revolution with a dream to establish a non-communal country," Dipu Moni added.The minister said many countries were termed with different labels but it is not necessary to take other's indication when it contradicts the fundamental values, she said."So the concept of moderate Muslim democratic country is not applicable here," the foreign minister added.Bangladesh Enterprise Institute President Farooq Sobhan, diplomats from various countries including Norway, Iran, Australia and China were present at the seminar.
We feel that Dr Dipu Moni is not only saying fantastic ideas but also creating problem for her Prime Minister.No body in senses can say Bangladesh to be a secular country in terms of the present constitution where in article 8 (1) it is said that Faith in Allah is the basis of action of the state. Even in 1973 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founder of Bangladesh attended summit of Organization of Islamic countries. Whatever was written in the then constitution he at heart believed that Bangladesh is a Muslim country.Even if the constitution is changed the reality of Bangladesh being essentially Muslim country will not change.
It is not true , as she has claimed , that Mohajote does not believe it to be a Muslim country because Ershad sahib and his party does not believe in what she has said.It is also not true that freedom fighters in Bangladesh fought for secularism , they even did not hear the word secularism. We ask Sheikh Hasina to rein in this lady who will badly harm the country by such statements. It is our bad luck we have such a foreign minister who does not know even basics of reality and history.
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