Bangladesh court rejects scrapping Islam as State Religion

Bangladesh's high court Monday rejected a petition by secular activists to scrap Islam's status as the state religion in the wake of nationwide protests by hardline Islamist groups, NDTV reported.

A special bench of three judges threw out the petition within moments of opening the case and without allowing any testimony.

The petition, which was first launched 28 years ago, has triggered countrywide protests by Islamist groups in the impoverished nation.

The court did not allow the petitioners to state their case or present any arguments, he said. "The judges simply said the rule is discharged."

Bangladesh was declared officially secular after the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan which created the nation from what was previously East Pakistan.

But in 1988 the then-military ruler, General Hussain Muhammad Ershad, elevated Islam to the state religion in an attempt to consolidate power.

Source : MENA