Dhaka, July 30 (bdnews24.com)—Law minister Shafique Ahmed has said that secularism will be reinstated in the constitution in line with the Supreme Court's ruling.

"The pledge of secularism has already been established in the constitution through the Supreme Court verdict," he said.

The minister was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the biennial conference of the Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee at the Dhakeswari National Temple premises in the city on Friday.

"The amendments that were enforced by military orders from Aug 15, 1975 to Apr 9, 1979 have been made illegal and repealed by the Supreme Court," he told those present.

Suranjit Sengupta, the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on law ministry, had earlier inaugurated the conference.

Shafique alleged that the changes made in the constitution through the Fifth Amendment were against the spirit of the independence war, which meant also against a democratic and non-communal state.

"The religious division created after Aug 15, 1975 was against the liberation war sprit," he added.

The law minister expressed his opinions in favour of the amendment of Registration Act-2004, the Vested Property (Return) Act, and the Debottor (endowed) Property Protection Act, including the formation of the Hindu Foundation.

Suranjit, also co-chair of the all-party special committee on constitutional review, echoed Shafique on the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict.

He expressed the hope that the four principles of the constitution will be re-established through the verdict that rejected the Fifth Amendment.

"By issuing the historical verdict the Supreme Court has proven that the country's highest court is the only place from where freedom can be obtained. We congratulate the Supreme Court in this regard."

Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee organising advisor professor Lalit Mohan Nath and Puja Celebrating Council president Subrata Chowdhury, among others, spoke at the conference.

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