The Fifteenth Amendment (2011) of the Bangladesh Constitution primarily restored the four fundamental principles of state policy as originally enshrined in the 1972 Constitution: nationalism, socialism, democracy, and secularism.
Key Restorations and Additions
- Fundamental Principles: Formally reinstated "secularism" as a basic state policy while simultaneously retaining Islam as the state religion.
- Father of the Nation: Officially recognized Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the "Father of the Nation" and made it mandatory to display his portrait in government offices.
- Historic Documents: Inserted the March 7th Speech of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Declaration of Independence, and the Proclamation of Independence into the Constitution's schedules.
- Reserved Seats: Increased the number of reserved seats for women in Parliament from 45 to 50.
Major Abolitions and Changes
- Caretaker Government System: Abolished the non-party caretaker government (NPCG) system, which had been used to oversee elections.
- Referendum System: Removed the provision for holding national referendums for constitutional amendments.
- Power Seizure: Inserted Articles 7A and 7B to categorize the extra-constitutional takeover of power as sedition, punishable by the "highest penalty
Recent Legal Developments (2024–2025)
Following a student-led uprising in August 2024, the High Court of Bangladesh delivered a landmark verdict in December 2024 declaring several parts of the Fifteenth Amendment illegal. This ruling:
- Restored the caretaker government system for future elections.
- Reinstated the referendum provision for constitutional changes.
- Struck down Article 7B, which had previously made certain parts of the Constitution "non-amendable"