Conservatism in Bangladesh
Conservatism in Bangladesh refers to the national variant of conservatism in the country. Bangladesh is a conservative country, where the state and the religion are closely intertwined to each other.
Being a Muslim-majority country, conservatism in Bangladesh is mainly defined by the role of Islam in the society and politics. The shift in Islam's role in post-independence Bangladesh began mainly in 1975, after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding president of Bangladesh, and remained dominant till now. Early conservatives promoted national, social and religious conservatism, claiming Bangladeshi nationalism as its core value, which "represents a mixture of traditional Bengali customs and moderate Islam". Traditionally, the Bangladesh Army maintained close ideological ties with the centre-right and conservative parties of the country, arguing that the term "Bangladeshi nationalism" upholds the country's identity as a Muslim-majority nation. Upon taking power, Ziaur Rahman, the president of Bangladesh and founding chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, introduced a state-sponsored Islamisation that impacted significantly on society and culture. Secularism was removed from the constitution in 1979 and Islam was made the state religion in 1988.
Conservatism, in most cases, overlaps with Islamism in the country's politics. It's supporters oppose secularism in the country's constitution, as it is understood as irreligion and atheism by the conservative polity. Meanwhile, radical conservatives oppose western culture, calling it "alien culture", and seek to establish a religion-based state. Conservative Islamists also oppose LGBTQ+ rights in the country.
Bangladeshi society remains highly socially conservative compared to the West. According to bdnews24.com, most Bangladeshis oppose homosexuality, same-sex marriage, gambling and drinking alcohol. According to experts interviewed by political scientist Tahmina Rahman between 2020 and 2022, "a puritan, ritualistic version of Islam" has gained prominence in the country, which overwhelms people's support for conservatism. Most recently in 2024, widespread revival of conservative Islam was observed among Bangladeshi youths, particularly due to the Awami League government's imposition of "secularisation" policies and "weaponization of victimhood" by the Islamists under AL regime.