Islamist group made these warnings to the interim government, terming the women’s reform body proposals as “anti-Islamic…reports Asian Lite News
The radical Islamist group in Bangladesh, Hefazat-e-Islam, has issued a threat, stating that the Chief Advisor of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, will face a similar fate as former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina if the proposals made by the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission are put into action.
At various protest rallies and processions organised across the country, the Islamist group made these warnings to the interim government, terming the women’s reform body proposals as “anti-Islamic,” local media reported.
The Hefazat leader, demanding the abolishment of the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission, announced that the group will hold a mass rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on May 3.
The Islamist group, on Friday, also organised a protest rally and procession in Chattogram’s Andarkill.
Later, addressing a public gathering at the Chashara Central Shaheed Minar in Narayanganj, Mamunul Haque, joint secretary general of Hefazat, said that the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission has shown complete disregard for Islamic law by stating that religious and social norms are the main reason for discrimination against women in the country, according to a report by leading Bangladeshi daily The Business Standard.
“Yunus Saheb has talked about implementing it quickly. He has stood against the Islamic inheritance law. We have given him a lot of respect, but if he moves on this path, we cannot treat him any different than Hasina,” Haque stated
Additionally, another ultra-Islamist political party, Khelafat Majlish, warned of launching a strong movement if the commission’s proposals are implemented. The party criticised the reform commission and called for its abolition.
“The commission was formed by a group of atheists and Western supporters,” said Khelafat Majlish.
Speaking in a protest rally at the gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka, the party’s Secretary General Ahmad Abdul Quader alleged that the commission was formed by “a group of atheists and Western supporters whose main goal is to undermine Bangladesh’s religious and family values.”
“The commission has proposed a uniform family law — covering marriage, divorce, inheritance, and maintenance — for women of all religions. This is directly against the Quran and Sunnah and is a blatant attack on the faith of Muslims. We will never accept such anti-Islamic activities,” he added.
Reports suggested that security was heightened around Baitul Mukarram Mosque during the protest.
Last week, the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission submitted its report, containing 433 recommendations, to Yunus. Hefajat-e Islam, along with other radical Islamist outfits, including Jamaat-e-Islami, the Islami Andolan Bangladesh, earlier this week, demanded that the government immediately scrap the “unacceptable and controversial” recommendations of the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission, the leading Bangladeshi newspaper, The Daily Star, reported.
The radical groups earlier worked hand in glove with the student leaders and Yunus to overthrow the democratically elected government of the Awami League. The much-flaunted unity of the political outfits in Bangladesh, which was on full display during the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, is fading gradually.
