In the Constitution of Bangladesh, Islam is referred to twice in the introduction and Part I of the constitution. The document begins with the Islamic phrase Basmala (بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ) which in English is translated as “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful” and article (2A) declares that :"Islam is the state religion of the republic". Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has stated that Bangladesh will be governed in line with the spirit of the Constitution of Medina. But at the same time, Constitution of Bangladesh pays lip service to secularism as it is one of the four fundamental principles of the original Constitution of Bangladesh. Despite having Islam as the state religion by 2A. Bangladesh is mostly governed by secular laws, set up during the times when the