Democracy and Islam: A Tale of Democratic Struggle in a Muslim Majority State

Abstract

The relationship between democracy and Islam is very complex, hence requires a rigorous scholarship to understand this complex interplay. The present paper examines the “success” as well as impediments in democratic consolidation in a Muslim majority state, Bangladesh. Through assessing electoral competitiveness, constitutional guarantees and implementation, women’s rights and political participation, and victory of secular party over Islamist, this paper considers Bangladesh as a “successful” Muslim democracy. Islam, this paper argues, is not a problem in democratization while there are a number of factors obstructing democratization in the Muslim majority states. To analyse the nexus between Islam and democracy, it is imperative to pay meticulous attention to explain the nature of the state and its social formation, origin, nature and practices of Islam in a particular society rather than just labelling Islam as incompatible with democracy. In the Muslim majority state like Bangladesh, as this paper argues, civil-military-bureaucratic structure leading to a symbiotic nexus between politicians, bureaucrats and military oligarchs, fragmentation, familialization and clienteistic party politics leading to neo-patrimonilism, lack of social capital and trust, and unequal distribution of economic and political resources are hindering democratic consolidation.

Civil society and the contemporary threat to religious freedom in Bangladesh

“…It also deems discrimination against, or persecution of, persons practising a particular religion unconstitutional (Article 12). Whilst it might constitute a more pluri-religious framework, the confirmation of Islam as the official state religion means, contrary to some claims (Salehin, 2013); it does not amount to restoration of secularism. With hindsight, perhaps this is unsurprising.…”

Trinary Views of Secularism: Transitional Ideological Perception of Tertiary Educated People in Bangladesh

“…In 2009, AL began a new period of their rule (2009–2014), which was intended to restore the previous state’s former secular philosophy. The 15th amendment to the constitution, which also restored Article 12 of the 1972 constitution, eliminated the fundamental predicate of “total trust and faith in Almighty Allah” and restored secularism (Salehin, 2013). Both the requirement of the official religion and the words bismillah-ar-rahman-ar-rahim (in the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful) were observed simultaneously.…”

Islam, Politics and Secularism in Bangladesh: Contesting the Dominant Narratives

“…Sheikh Hasina's second term (2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014) opened a new chapter of her governance that served to bring back the old secular ideology to the state. Through the fifteenth amendment of the constitution, the regime omitted the constitutional principle "absolute trust and faith in Almighty Allah", and in its place restored secularism; Article 12 of the 1972 constitution was reestablished (Salehin 2013;Pattanaik 2013). Simultaneously, it retained bismillah-ar-rahman-ar-rahim (In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful) and the provision of the state religion (Salehin 2013;Jahan and Shahan 2014), which experts such as Dr. Akbar Ali Khan and Nurul Kabir, interviewed by the authors, described as "the political and ideological contradictions of the ruling Awami League."…”

“…Through the fifteenth amendment of the constitution, the regime omitted the constitutional principle "absolute trust and faith in Almighty Allah", and in its place restored secularism; Article 12 of the 1972 constitution was reestablished (Salehin 2013;Pattanaik 2013). Simultaneously, it retained bismillah-ar-rahman-ar-rahim (In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful) and the provision of the state religion (Salehin 2013;Jahan and Shahan 2014), which experts such as Dr. Akbar Ali Khan and Nurul Kabir, interviewed by the authors, described as "the political and ideological contradictions of the ruling Awami League." Nevertheless, it has endeavored to give non-Islamic people a sense of belonging by rephrasing the Islamic provisions of the constitution: second translation of bismillah-ar-rahman-ar-rahim was added that reads: "In the name of the Creator, the Merciful" (The Constitution 2011, p. 1).…”

“…However, the second term (2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014), in coalition with the leftist parties, witnessed a major shift in its governance style-from acceptance of Islamization towards the process of secularization. The regime restored secularism as a state ideology, however, paradoxically retained Islamic phrase and provision of state religion in the constitution (Salehin 2013). Driven by the ideology of secularism, the regime is reported to have been so desperate to "de-Islamize Bangladesh" that some scholars have marked it as an emergence of "ultra-secularism", "violent secularism", or "authoritarian secularism" (Islam 2011a).…”