36 years ago, the High Court announced the direct rejection of the writ petition challenging the state religion of Islam. In the observation of the judgment, the High Court said that the state religion Islam is not in conflict with the Constitution. Islam as a state religion does not violate the basic structure of the constitution.

A copy of the 52-page judgment was released on Thursday (April 25) after the judges who delivered the judgment signed it.

Earlier, a three-judge larger High Court bench headed by Justice Naima Haider signed the copy of the judgment. The other two judges of the bench were - Justice Kazi Reza-ul Haque and Justice Md. Ashraful Kamal

Three judges agreed with the decision to dismiss the writ. However, the junior judge of the bench Justice Ashraful Kamal gave a separate observation in the judgment.

The observation written by the bench's Senior Justice Naima Haider said that Islam as the state religion enshrined in Article 2(a) of the Constitution is not inconsistent with any other provision, not only the fundamental principles mentioned in the preamble of the Constitution. Although Islam is given 'state religion status' in the constitution, there is no obligation to give political status to the state. Article 2(a) must be read as a whole and it is clear that the inclusion of the concept of making Islam the state religion in no way undermines the constitutional rights of people of different faiths. It also does not affect the basic structure of the Constitution and does not create redundancy in the Constitution.

The impugned amendment also does not affect the concept of state religion as inserted in the Constitution, the judgment said. Therefore, we hold that recognition of Islam as the state religion by inserting Article 2(a) through the impugned amendment is not unconstitutional. In an attempt to simplify the matter, we have discussed the reasoning presented in our judgment.

Incidentally, the then President Hussain Muhammad Ershad added Islam as the state religion to the Constitution through the Eighth Amendment in 1988. Article 2(a) added to the constitution states that the state religion of the republic shall be Islam, but other religions may be practiced in peace in the republic.

Then 15 persons filed a writ petition in the High Court challenging the validity of that provision on behalf of the Committee for Prevention of Dictatorship and Communalism. Many of them died. They are- Former Chief Justice Kamaluddin Hossain, Justice Debesh Chandra Bhattacharya, Justice KM Sobhan, Poet Sufia Kamal, Professor Khan Sarwar Murshid, Senior Advocate Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed, Professor Kabir Chowdhury, Artist Kalim Sharafi, Professor Mosharraf Hossain, Journalist Faiz Ahmed, Professor Sirajul Islam Chowdhury, Sector Commander CR Dutta, Writer Badruddin Umar, Professor Borhanuddin Khan Jahangir and Professor Anisuzzaman.

The delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has recommended adjusting (increasing) the prices of fertilizers, electricity and gas to keep the balance of the budget for the next fiscal year 2024-25 and keeping subsidies at a tolerable level.

The IMF delegation to monitor the implementation of conditions under the loan program made the recommendation on Thursday (25 April) in a meeting with the Finance Department's budget division.

The delegation also sought to know what action was being taken against willful defaulters. Besides, targeted reduction of NPLs, especially of government-owned banks, and urgent implementation of pending laws related to banks and financial institutions.

Sources in the finance ministry said the government welcomed the government's adoption of a periodic formula-based price adjustment mechanism for petroleum products that would have reduced subsidies, as part of the mission meeting with the budget division of the finance division on subsidies.

However, to improve the overall budget management, it has recommended to increase the prices of electricity, gas and fertilizers to reduce subsidies in other sectors. In this context, the officials of the finance division said that the government will give adequate subsidy to agriculture for the time being keeping in mind the issue of food security. However, to reduce the subsidy on electricity and gas, the prices of these will be increased gradually.

The delegation, led by Chris Papageorgiou, head of the IMF's Development Microeconomics Division, presented these observations in a meeting with the Financial Institutions Division of the Ministry of Finance.

Financial Institutions Division Secretary Sheikh Mohammad Salimullah led the meeting on behalf of the government. At this time, the MD of Sonali Bank Afzal Karim along with the officers of the financial institutions division also with MDs of Janata, Agrani and Rupali Bank were also present.

The ongoing severe heatwave is disrupting public life and impacting the food production system, particularly the cultivation of summer crops and fruits. Here are 10 essential agricultural practices to consider amidst the intense heat wave sweeping across the nation. These recommendations aim to support those engaged in agriculture:

One. Maintain a water level of at least 2-3 inches in the paddy fields, especially crucial during rice flowering. Insufficient water may lead to paddy spoilage.

Two. In the Haor area, harvest ripe paddy at earliest possible to mitigate potential damage from natural calamities, and promptly collect it from the fields.

Three. Be vigilant for signs of rice blast disease, which can proliferate during this period. Regular field monitoring is advised, and consider applying a suitable fungicide as a preventive measure.

Four. Ensure adequate watering of fruit trees by creating basins at their bases. If possible, spray the plants with water. Remember, insufficient water during this period can lead to reduced fruit production and increased risk of fruit drop at early stages.

Five. Periodically flood fruit orchards, preferably once a week, and mulch with straw to retain soil moisture around the base of the trees.

Six. Incorporate organic fertilizers into the soil when cultivating vegetables to enhance water retention and nutrient levels.

Seven. Maintain a cool environment in livestock and poultry shelters to prevent heat stress. Use insulators under tin roofs, provide ample water and ventilation, and install fans or misting systems.

Eight. Ensure proper ventilation in livestock and poultry shelters by removing surrounding coverings and using nets instead. Regularly bathe cattle to help them stay cool.

Nine. Provide saline water, along with a mixture of salt, vitamin C, and glucose, for livestock and poultry to maintain hydration and health.

Ten. Maintain a minimum water depth of five feet in fish ponds, aerating the water as needed. Supplement fish diet with salt and vitamin C, and monitor oxygen levels to prevent oxygen depletion.

Lastly, farmers should prioritize their own health and safety during this time. Work during cooler parts of the day, stay hydrated with saline water, wear protective clothing, and take breaks to splash water on the face and bathe regularly. Consume easily digestible foods, and seek medical attention if feeling unwell

The historical Abdul Jabbar's boli khela started ignoring the scorching heat of Baisakh.

Although the 115th volleyball season started at 4:25 pm on Thursday (April 15), the Laldighi ground became crowded from noon.

At least 100 people came to participate in this boli khela. The organizing committee registered 80 of them. At the end of the first round is the challenge round. Semi-finals and finals will follow.

Bolikhela was introduced by Abdul Jabbar Saudagar, a businessman of Bakshirhat, Chattogram, in 1909 to encourage the youth to join the anti-British movement. In the course of time, the 'Jabbarer Bolikhela' sitting in the field of Laldighi has become one of the attractions of this city. Just what? The biggest Baisakhi fair in Greater Chattogram is also held here. Since 1909, except for one year of World War II, this fair has been held every year, but the coronavirus stopped this joyous festival in 2020. This fair was not held the next year for the same reason. Even in 2022, the future of this historic event was hanging on a thread. In the end, with the efforts of the City Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, volleyball was organized by making a temporary ring in the middle of the road. Bolikhela has returned to its old address - Laldighi Maidan since last year. This year, the centenary event is also being held there.

Baisakhi fair is going on in a one kilometer area around the field centered on boli khela.