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Thousands of supporters of an Islamist group gathered in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, on May 3, to protest proposed recommendations aimed at ensuring equal rights for men and women.
Leaders of the Hefazat-e-Islam group claimed that the proposed legal reforms are incompatible with Sharia law.
Over 20,000 of the group’s followers rallied near Dhaka University to protest the proposed equal rights laws, which include provisions related to property rights for Muslim women.
Many participants carried banners and placards with slogans such as, “Say no to Western laws on our women, rise up Bangladesh.”
The group warned of organizing further rallies on May 23 across the country if the government did not meet their demands.
Mamunul Haque, a leader of the group, called for the abolition of the interim government’s reforms commission and the punishment of its members responsible for proposing the changes.
Haque argued that the proposed reforms insulted “the sentiments of the majority of the people” by portraying religious inheritance laws as the primary cause of gender inequality.
The group’s leaders also demanded that the interim government, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, ban the Awami League party of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted in August.
Hasina’s opponents accuse her government of being responsible for the deaths of hundreds of students and others during the uprising that led to the end of her 15-year rule.
Since her ousting, Hasina has been in exile in India.
Islamist groups in Bangladesh have become more visible in recent months, and minority communities have reported feeling increasingly intimidated.
