A/HRC/31/18/Add.2 Report of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief on his visit to Bangladesh* Contents Page I. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 3 II. Legal framework, national policies and infrastructure .................................................................... 3 III. Interreligious coexistence ................................................................................................................. 4 A. A deep rooted tradition of pluralistic coexistence ................................................................... 4 B. Changes of the religious demography ...................................................................................... 5 C. Regional dynamics................................................................................................................... 6 Constitutional principles and their application in practice ............................................................... 7 A. Conceptualization and implementation of secularism ............................................................. 7 B. Politicization of religion?......................................................................................................... 8 C. Obstacles in consistent implementation ................................................................................... 9 Feelings of insecurity and vulnerability ........................................................................................... 9 IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. A. Contested land ownership ........................................................................................................ 10 B. Personal and community safety ............................................................................................... 11 C. Issue of conversion .................................................................................................................. 12 Educational issues ............................................................................................................................ 13 A. Conceptual clarification ........................................................................................................... 13 B. Religious education in government schools............................................................................. 13 C. Madrasas .................................................................................................................................. 14 D. Other religious schools ............................................................................................................ 14 E. Interreligious dialogue ............................................................................................................. 14 F. Community-based education ................................................................................................... 15 Legal questions involving religion .................................................................................................. 15 A. Personal status laws based on religion .................................................................................... 15 B. Religion-related offences ......................................................................................................... 17 New issues for further exploration .................................................................................................. 18 A. Integrating indigenous spirituality into freedom of religion or belief ...................................... 18 B. Freedom of religion or belief of hijras and other sexual minorities ......................................... 18 C. Communicative action against incitement to religious hatred ................................................. 19 Conclusions and recommendations .................................................................................................. 20 * Circulated in the language of submission only. 2