Legal Notice Issued to Remove ‘Socialism’ and ‘Secularism’ from Constitution
A legal notice has been issued in the public interest seeking the permanent removal of the terms ‘socialism’ and ‘secularism’ from the Constitution of Bangladesh, ahead of the nation’s planned constitutional reform process. Supreme Court Advocate Md. Mahmudul Hasan Mamun sent the notice on Thursday to key government administrative officials. The recipients include the Secretary of the Public Division at the President’s Office, the Secretary of the Parliament Secretariat, the Cabinet Secretary, and the Secretary of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
The legal notice underscores that removing socialism is essential to safeguard private ownership and attract crucial foreign direct investment into the country. Similarly, it asserts that scrapping secularism is an urgent requirement of the current era, arguing that the term conflicts directly with the region’s long-standing historical identity and the fundamental right to freedom of religion guaranteed under Article 41 of the charter. Referring to media reports, the notice highlights that the interim administration plans to initiate comprehensive constitutional reforms through the National Parliament in January 2027, followed by a national referendum for final public approval.
Citing the standard definition from the Encyclopaedia Britannica, the legal notice emphasizes that the core objective of socialism is to abolish private property and bring all national wealth under strict state control. The document argues that state socialism has proven to be an obsolete concept globally within today’s free-market economy. Advocate Mamun notes in the petition that retaining socialism leaves foreign investors apprehensive about placing large capital in Bangladesh, out of fear that private industries or investments could be nationalized under socialist constitutional provisions, thereby stifling overall private sector growth.
To address these concerns, the legal notice formally demands the immediate deletion of socialism from the Preamble, Article 8, and Article 10 of the Constitution to protect national economic development. The petitioner urges the relevant authorities to take necessary legal and constitutional steps to excise both socialism and secularism through a constitutional amendment and a national referendum within 90 days of receiving the notice. The notice warns that if the recipient authorities fail to comply with these demands within the stipulated timeframe, appropriate legal proceedings will be initiated against them in court.
