Dhaka, Nov. 15 -- BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed has said his party would restore the phrase "trust and faith in Allah" to the Constitution if voted to power.

Speaking at a rally in Dhaka on Saturday afternoon, he said: "Our leader, martyred president Ziaur Rahman, was the first to insert 'Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim' into Bangladesh's constitution. It still remains in place. Many tried to remove it. but failed."

"But what is no longer there. what we had introduced as the fundamental principle of state policy, under the guidance of martyred president Zia -- 'trust and faith in Allah'. It was in the preamble of the Constitution and in Article 8 under the fundamental principles of state policy. It has been removed," he said...