Bangladesh may drop Islam as state religion

Dhaka: The Bangladesh government is considering removing Islam as the official state religion in response to several attacks on religious minorities by radical Islamists. The country’s Supreme Court is hearing arguments on whether to drop the religion.

Bangladesh is home to a massive majority of Muslims — approximately 89 percent, according to the CIA world fact book, with the remainder of the population made up of mostly Hindus and some Christians. There is some dispute as to who exactly is responsible for a string of recent attacks.

Bangladeshi officials claim the perpetrators are homegrown terrorists, but the head of US intelligence has warned that transnational terrorist organizations, such as the Islamic State, are responsible. Attacks have included the murders of bloggers and journalists, the shooting of Shia Muslims in prayer at a mosque by majority Sunnis and attacks on Christian priests and leaders.