BANGLADESH: PM REJECTS NEW BLASPHEMY LAWS

Bangladesh's prime minister rejected demands for tougher blasphemy laws in the face of growing pressure from protesters wanting the death sentence for blaspheming bloggers.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in an exclusive interview with the BBC that sufficient laws are in place to punish people who insult any religion, not just those who defame Islam and Prophet Muhammad.
"This country is a secular democracy. So each and every religion has the right to practice their religion freely and fair," she told the BBC.
"But it isn't fair to hurt anybody's religious feeling. Always we try to protect every religious sentiment."
Her comments come as members of the religious group Hefajat-e Islam continue to march through the capital urging a nationwide shutdown of businesses and demanding tougher blasphemy laws including use of the death penalty.
Among their demands is strict punishment of so-called atheist bloggers whom they blaspheme Islam and Prophet Muhammad, a report by the Daily News said.
"A new law will have to be formulated incorporating the provision of the punishment suggested in Islam," Noor Hossain Kashemi, leader of the Dhaka city branch of Hefajat, said.