Govt to restore spirit of '72 constitution

Law Minister Shafique Ahmed yesterday said the government would take steps to restore the spirit of the 1972 constitution after receiving the copy of the Supreme Court (SC) order regarding the fifth amendment to the constitution.
"After receiving the copy of the SC order, we will send a reference to the Law Commission for recommendations. The government will act as per the law commission's recommendations," he said.
The law minister said this while talking to newsmen at his secretariat office after receiving a handwritten constitution of 1972 from Director General of Bangladesh Foundation for Development Research (BFDR) Munayem Sarker.
Shafique Ahmed said the spirit of the liberation war and the four principles of the state -- 'democracy', 'socialism', 'secularism' and 'nationalism' -- as per the 1972 constitution have been restored following the SC order regarding fifth amendment to the constitution.
The apex court of the country has upheld a High Court verdict that declared illegal and unconstitutional the fifth amendment to the constitution, he said.
The fifth amendment had legitimised all the governments that had been in power following the coup of August 15, 1975 till April 9, 1979, including late president Ziaur Rahman's ascension to the presidency.
The law minister said the spirit of the 1972 constitution was to establish Bangladesh as a non-communal and welfare state.
When asked whether the religion-based political parties would be banned following the apex court verdict, he declined to make any comments before receiving the copy of the SC order.
The minister also said that the government will hold the trial of war criminals and there is no doubt about it.