The Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution of Bangladesh: A Review

Abstract

In Bangladesh’s history of constitutional amendments, the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution represents a major turning point. This extensive amendment provoked intense debates and discussions among stakeholders, including scholars, political parties, constitutional experts and the public. The amendment sought to align the core principles of the 1972 founding constitution with the constitutional framework but with some major modifications. This qualitative study uses document analysis to understand the wide-ranging effects of this amendment. The research aims to thoroughly assess the Fifteenth Amendment’s implications, focusing on its main distinctive additions, drawbacks, competing concerns, and potential impact on the country’s democratic system. The assessment concentrates on a few developments, such as the restoration of fundamental principles, environmental sustainability, fifty seats reserved for women in parliament, incorporating the speech of 7th March and declaration of independence, reformation of the election commission, and so on. However, it also delves into contentious areas, such as restrictions over amending some articles, the dissolution of the caretaker government system, and debates about secularism vs. religion so on. The study also provides pragmatic recommendations to strengthen democratic values, covering a wide range of topics from environmental preservation to gender representation in the constitution. Finally, this research sheds light on the complex correlation between religious beliefs, societal objectives, and democratic values within Bangladesh’s evolving constitutional framework, marking a significant turning point in the nation’s democratic development.