CR Dutta asks for deleting Islam as state religion

Dhaka, Aug 31 (bdnews24.com) – Retired Major General C R Dutta, who commanded sector 4 which comprised most part of greater Sylhet in 1971 independence war, , Friday demanded the government revoke the constitutional recognition of Islam as the state religion.

The administration of the then military dictator HM Ershad in 1988 approved a constitutional amendment, making Islam the state religion amid howls of vehement protests from political and social platforms including other ethnic groups.

"I demand that the status of Islam as the state religion be annulled. We didn't fight for independence to make Islam the state religion," Dutta told a commemorative meeting of the 89th birth anniversary of General MAG Osmani, the commander-in-chief during independence war.

He said the country's original constitution, passed in 1972, must be reinstated to resolve political problems.

"The four principles of the 1972 constitution like democracy, secularism, Bengalee nationalism and socialism should be reinstated," he said.

bdnews24.com/krc/jr/bd/2033 hrs.