Bangladesh's interim government has reacted to the demand seeking a change of the national anthem and flag of the country, stating it had no plans to do anything controversial. 'Amar Sonar Bangla', an ode to motherland, was written by Rabindranath Tagore and flag, a dark green area with a balanced red disc in the centre, was designed by Shib Narayan Das.
The demand to change the anthem was raised by Abdullahil Amaan Azmi, the son of former Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ghulam Azam. Jamaat-e-Islami is Bangladesh's largest Islamist party, which was banned for years under anti-terrorism law, before the interim government lifted the ban on it a week ago.
Azmi, a former Army personal who blames the Awami League for imprisoning him, said the current national anthem was "contrary to the existence of our independent Bangladesh" and was imposed on the country by India. He added that the anthem reflected the time of the Bengal partition and the merging of the two Bengals.
"How can an anthem created to unite the two Bengals become the national anthem of an independent Bangladesh? This anthem was imposed on us by India in 1971. There are many songs that could serve as a national anthem. The government should form a new commission to select a new national anthem," he told reporters.
Azmi also called for reforms in the Constitution, stating " a new Constitution needs to be drafted, reflecting the sentiments of all citizens, regardless of religion or ethnicity."
"Our country is a Muslim state, with over 90% of the population being Muslim. There cannot be a Constitution in opposition to Allah's laws. Our Constitution states that the people are the holders of sovereignty. However, the people are not the holders of sovereignty; only Allah is. No law contrary to Allah's laws should be passed. Therefore, we need to amend the constitution to include laws that reflect our Muslim values," Dhaka Tribue quoted Azim.
As the controversy gained intensity, the interim government said it had no plans to change the national anthem of Bangladesh.
Religious Affairs Adviser AFM Khalid Hossain said the interim government will not do anything to create controversy, reported Dhaka Tribune. He added that as a neighbouring country, Bangladesh wants a friendly relationship with India. “We have heard reports of attacks on our cricket team in India. Since the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is in charge, they will decide on the necessary course of action.”
Though it is not clear what Hossain was referring to, there was isolated demands on social media urging BCCI to call off the upcoming home series against Bangladesh in the wake of attacks against minorities.
