Bangladesh:
Fascists turn violent to protest policy on women (news report)
Women’s policy: What is the fuss about? (Hameeda Hossain)
Bangladesh retreats on women’s rights after clerics protest
Gender equality should be upheld (Editorial, New Age)
Mullah driven review body finds equal rights for women "very objectionable"
Women’s rights activists knew what was coming, had already protested the formation of review body
Cancellation of review body demanded by rights organisations
The Daily Star April 11, 2008
BIGOTS FIGHT FIERCELY WITH COPS TO PROTEST WOMEN POLICY 50 including 10 policemen injured Staff Correspondent
Activists of Anti-Quran Law Resistance Committee torch a motorbike of a law enforcement agency near Baitul Mukarram National Mosque during clashes with police yesterday. Photo: Anisur Rahman
The surrounding areas of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque turned into a battlefield yesterday when members of an Islamic organisation clashed with police leaving over 50 injured including 10 policemen and 15 pedestrians.
Witnesses said the hour-long clash started around 2:15pm when police resisted about 500 activists of Anti-Quran Law Resistance Committee attempting to march towards the office of the chief adviser in a procession after holding a rally on the mosque premises.
Khelafat Majlish and Islami Shashontantra Andolan recently formed the Anti-Quran Law Resistance Committee to protest against the National Women Development Policy approved by the advisers’ council recently.
"As police halted their progress, the agitating activists started pelting them with brickbats and broke through the police ring," said pedestrian Mostofa Kamal who took shelter near the mosque during the clash.
Fifteen pedestrians including two children Shaon, 12, and Badhon, 9, were injured.
Employees of nearby shop Mithu Carpets said, "When police locked the gate at the north side, the activists came through other gates and attacked police with bamboo sticks and brickbats."
At one stage, police resorted to charging truncheons and firing teargas canisters to disperse them. Police used around 10 teargas shells.
During the clash, the activists set fire to two motorbikes of law enforcers and damaged over 10 vehicles including two sports utility vehicles of the Islamic Foundation and the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Chases and counter chases took place between the police and the activists.
Other witnesses said all business establishments were closed for three hours due to repeated attacks of the activists.
The injured activists and pedestrians received treatment from Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Suhrawardy Hospital and different clinics in the area while the policemen were treated at Rajarbagh Police Hospital.
Farid Uddin Ahmed, officer-in-charge (OC) of Paltan Police Station, told The Daily Star, "The unruly attackers injured several policemen, including Assistant Commissioner [AC] Pankaj Roy."
He said they would take legal action against those who were involved in the offence.
Two units of Fire Service and Civil Defence rushing to the spot to douse the burning motorbikes could not do their jobs as the Anti-Quran Law Resistance Committee activists attacked them and chased them away.
People who went to the mosque for Zohr prayers were stuck inside the mosque.
Vehicular movement in the area came to a halt during the clash and created gridlocks on nearby streets which had a knock-on effect on traffic situation on other parts of the city.
Before the clash, the Anti-Quran Law Resistance Committee held a rally on the mosque ground where they demanded resignation of Rasheda K Chowdhury, adviser to the caretaker government.
Terming the National Women Development Policy an anti-Islamic law, they threatened the government of toppling it if it did not amend the policy.
After the clash, the organisation held a press conference at the office of Khelafat Majlish. They claimed police prevented them from carrying out their peaceful activities and injured over 100 activists.
Maulana Abdur Rob Yusufi, Nayeb-e-Amir of Khelafat Majlish, spoke at the press conference among others.
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The Daily Star April 6, 2008
WOMEN’S POLICY: WHAT IS THE FUSS ABOUT?
by Hameeda Hossain
WHY so much noise about a policy which does no more than reaffirm commitments of earlier documents? The protests by a few religious clerics surrounding the declaration of the policy by the chief advisor give rise to suspicions of political machinations. The responses of some members of the advisory council also suggest, at the least, a lack of cohesiveness or coordination in decision making by the Council of Advisors. These events have diverted us from considering the content of the policy and its continuity with previous state commitments, and from formulating an action plan.
Let us first dissect the protests, which started a few days before the announcement. How is it that the ulema were threatening street action, using the mosque to incite hatred against the government and against women, even before they had seen the policy? Their claim was that the policy provided for equal rights to inheritance, and thus violated religious norms and codes. The protests have continued even after the policy has been published and made available, and after it is quite clear that it makes no reference to inheritance laws!
Islam is a religion of peace. And yet the ulema are deliberately breaking the peace by use of vituperative language and seditious threats of "civil war." An ever-ready madrassah brigade has been summoned into street action and, what is even more surprising, the Khatib of Baitul Mukaram mosque seems to have forgotten his official responsibilities. We are familiar with similar forms of destabilisation used in the past.
In 1961, for example, the ulema supported the right-wing parties in opposing the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance. The government, at that time, took a strong stand against the trouble makers, and the law has remained on our statute books for four decades and is in daily use throughout the country, benefiting millions of men, women and children in the process. The uniformity of messages emanating from khutbas in certain mosques, their instigation to political rallies, and the op-eds in the right-wing media suggest considerable planning behind the scenes.
So, we need to figure out, is all this really about a rejection of a national commitment to gender equality? Is it really about any threat to religion or religious practice? Or is it something more calculated, and intended to serve the interests of certain groups — is it merely a diversionary tactic from the political movement for the trial of war criminals, or just another way of mounting a further challenge to the present government?
We presume that the caretaker government follows some official procedures for collective decision making, and that, when the chief advisor announced the policy on March 8, it had already been discussed and approved by the council. Does this imply that the chief advisor has gone back on the previous decision taken collectively by the council. Or have the four advisors acted on their own initiative to visit the Islamic Foundation, offer apologies and set up a "review committee." What is the validity of any decisions taken by such a committee?
There is nothing new in the policy itself, and, in fact, these commitments had been made earlier in the Constitution, in CEDAW, in the Beijing Plan of Action, the MDG and NSRP. Let us examine what the policy says.
Section 1 of the policy reviews official decisions and commitments to women’s equality.
Section 2 lists the purpose and aims of the policy to ensure equality, security, empowerment, human rights, to address poverty of women, recognise their economic and social contributions, facilitate participation in public decision making and access to education, health and skill development, and protection for vulnerable women. These aims have never been in dispute, and different ministries have been mandated since the early seventies to implement programs in accordance with them.
Section 3 reiterates implementation of CEDAW through review and reform of laws, prevention of misuse of laws or misinterpretation of religion contrary to women’s interests, creation of awareness of rights, identification of children by both parents, including in voter identity cards. (It is unfortunate that the Election Commission has failed to observe this government rule, and women voters have been identified by their spouses.)
Sections 4 and 5 refer to legal and policy deterrents to violence against women.
Sections 7, 8, 12 and 13 refer to expanding access to education, health and shelter or housing, to creating opportunities for participation in sports and culture.
Section 9 recognises women’s economic contribution, the need for expanding opportunities, and eliminating gender discrimination; it also refers to the need for safety nets and other facilities for working women. Political participation is to be facilitated through directly held elections to reserved seats in Parliament, and lateral entry of women in public services, diplomatic services, maintaining quotas in public employment. In acknowledging the government’s responsibility for implementing the policy, section 17 reiterates provisions for monitoring mechanisms, which have already been in place.
The rightist frenzy is apparently over the right to property, which is referred to in section 9.13 as providing for "equal rights to and control over all moveable and immoveable property acquired through the market." This is a statement of the law as it stands in Bangladesh, and is not a re-statement of it or any advance! At least, that is true in theory. In practice, many women are deprived of their legal share in family property, and have little access to commercial loans, etc.
It is difficult to see the rationale for the objection to this section. And it is even more difficult to understand what drove the four advisors to go to the ulema if they had already read the policy and were aware of its provisions. Consultations on policy matters are a good precedent, but only when they are held in a rational atmosphere, and with constituencies that are to be directly affected by such policies. The National Policy for Women’s Development is an outcome of a national consensus on the need to eliminate gender inequality and to ensure women’s advancement so that they can contribute more effectively to economic and social development.
The government’s energy should now be directed to work out time-lined action plans, and allocate budgetary support. Ministries need to be mandated with specific goals and targets, which can be monitored effectively. It is time that governments stand by their words and make sure that equality and non-discrimination are maintained as guidelines for laws, policies and programs of action. Bangladesh needs to move forward into thefuture. Let us not forget that women’s labour today sustains the Bangladesh economy, women’s social capital maintains family well being. Recognising their rights will be a step in furthering their effective contribution to society.
Hameeda Hossain is a freelance contributor to The Daily Star.
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BANGLADESH RETREATS ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS AFTER CLERICS PROTEST
Mar 12, 2008
DHAKA (AFP) - Bangladesh’s military-backed government has backed down from a policy to ensure equal property rights to women amid angry protests by Muslim clerics that the move would override Islamic law.
The country’s law minister Hasan Arif said the government "does not have any plan to enact any laws that goes against the Koran and the traditions of Prophet Mohammad," a government statement said.
Arif gave the assurance to top Islamic clerics and scholars late on Tuesday, after Islamic groups warned of nationwide protests, saying they would not tolerate any law that went against sharia, the Islamic law code.
Sharia is based on the teachings of the Koran, prescribing both religious and secular duties, from prayer to alms-giving, as well as penalties for law-breaking. There are many interpretations of the sharia.
The clerics’ complaints followed a new government policy announced last week which stated women should have equal property rights.
Bangladesh, whose population is 90 percent Muslim, has a secular legal system but in matters related to inheritance and marriage Muslims follow sharia law.
Sharia practised in Bangladesh’s inheritance law generally stipulates that a girl would inherit half of what her brother gets. Women groups have long protested against the disparity and demanded equal rights.
The minister’s comments came after Islamist parties and top clerics called protests across the country this Friday against what they called "laws against Islam."
The leader of the group Mufti Fazlul Haq Amini said that despite the government’s assurances they would go ahead with protests until the "anti-sharia" provisions were officially dropped.
"The new government policy has mentioned there would be equal property rights for women which is directly against Islam and the holy Koran. We will not tolerate anything that goes against the sharia," he told AFP on Wednesday.
The government had shown "scant regard" for the country’s Muslims, he said.
But Shirin Akhter, head of one of the largest women’s groups in the country, said she hoped the government would ignore the criticism.
"The policy spells out clearly that women should have equal rights to property, which includes inheritance. Our hope is that the government does not get distracted by any so-called religious group," Akhter, president of Working Women, said.
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New Age March 9, 2008
Editorial GENDER EQUALITY SHOULD BE UPHELD
Our failure as a nation to ensure equal rights for women as for men in all spheres and at all levels is, we believe, a cause for great disappointment and collective shame. While there is no doubt that we have taken some measures towards gender equity since our national independence, there still remains much left to be done. Even to this day, our country does not have uniform inheritance laws for all Bangladeshis that give women equal entitlement as men and nor can a Bangladeshi woman pass down her nationality to her children. In our view, unless such discrepancies in our laws are addressed to put an end to manifest discrimination against women, we will never be and cannot claim to be a modern, civilised and democratic state. In this regard, we appreciate the policy decision of the incumbents to revisit the issue of inheritance and to bring about uniform laws which will apply to all Bangladeshis irrespective of their religious affiliation or beliefs and ensure that women have equal entitlement to property as men. We hope that the government will its policy to reality by way of getting the relevant laws amended and enforcing them properly.
However, it is extremely disappointing, though not at all surprising, that at a time when the government is apparently considering steps to reduce discrimination against women in our laws and customs, some obscurantist organisations have come together under the banner of ’Islami Uttaradhikar Ain Shanrakkhan Andolan’ to protest and resist the government’s attempts to promote gender equality. A few hundred obscurantists on Friday staged demonstrations in front of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque to condemn what it termed the ’western idea of gender equality.’ The organisations that joined the protest rally include the Islami Shashantantra Andolan, Hizbut Tahrir Bangladesh, Islami Chatra Andolan and Khelafat Majlish. The activists have also warned the government of ’dire consequences’, if it proceeds with its plans.
We believe that there is nothing ’western’ about the idea of ensuring equal rights for all human beings, irrespective of gender or other characteristics and differences. Rather, it is not only unjust but inhumane to promote or protect the marginalisation of certain groups on the basis of such things as gender, ethnicity, religion and ability - physical or financial. Bigotry should find no space in our society. Hence, we urge the current regime to pay no heed to the demands of the obscurantists. Instead, it should stick to its plans and prove its commitment to equity and social justice by bringing necessary changes to laws that are inherently discriminatory towards women.
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The Daily Star April 18, 2008
National Women Development Policy REVIEW BODY OPPOSES EQUAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN Recommends deletion of 6 provisions, change in 15 Star Report
The ulema committee formed to review the National Women Development Policy has strongly opposed equal rights to women, recommending deletion of six sections of the policy and amending 15 others as they said these sections "clash" with the provisions of the Quran and Sunnah.
There are several sections in the policy which are "very objectionable", said Mufti Mohammad Nuruddin, acting khatib of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque who headed the review committee.
"A woman cannot enjoy rights equal to a man’s because a woman is not equal to a man by birth. Can there be two prime ministers—one male and one female—in a country at the same time?" Nuruddin told The Daily Star after submitting the seven-page report to Law and Religious Affairs Adviser AF Hassan Ariff yesterday.
The 20-member committee asked the government to clarify the phrase "women’s equal rights to earned movable and immovable properties" and follow Islamic provisions on inheritance if the earned properties include inherited properties.
Suggesting inclusion of guidelines "in the light of the Quran and Sunnah" while taking any decision regarding women’s rights, the ulema recommended abolishing the section that suggests steps to implement the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
Asking the government to withdraw Bangladesh from the convention, they said many sections in it go against the belief, spirits and culture of the Muslim ummah.
The ulema committee also opposed and asked the government to eliminate the provision for keeping reserved seats for women in parliament and local government bodies and direct elections to those.
"This policy has strongly hurt the pious Muslims of the country since many sections of it clash with the Quran and Sunnah…It does not go with Bangladesh’s constitution, religious traditions and culture," the report concludes.
Adviser Hassan Ariff expressed hopes that the recommendations will remove the "language or interpretation gap" created surrounding the Women Development Policy.
The committee members did not support the attempts by a section of opportunists to create chaos by taking advantage of the situation, he told reporters.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS The committee said 15 sections of the National Women Development Policy are against Islam and should be revised or corrected while six sections should be eliminated.
The Islamic scholars said not only is it impossible to establish equal rights for men and women in the country, but in some cases, giving women equality would deprive them of their rights in many sectors.
They proposed replacing the phrase "equality, equal rights and affirmative action" with "just rights".
The committee also said the ambition of eradicating "existing disparities between women and men" is unclear and should be replaced by the phrase "existing disparities between women and men in light of the Quran and the Sunnah".
On the section that asks for giving women equal human and fundamental rights such as political, economic, social and cultural, they said "just rights" should be ensured for men and women in light of the Quran and Sunnah.
They said the government must ensure participation of ulema and muftis alongside women’s law experts while drawing up or eliminating or amending any "existing discriminatory" law.
They proposed inclusion of religion experts in a committee to resolve any inconsistency regarding women’s interest arising from misinterpretations of provisions of those religions.
They also opposed the provision of a child’s being identified by both the mother and father, saying it "encourages sexual abuse" and pre-marital cohabitation. They recommended identifying a child by "legally married" parents.
The committee observed that the policy’s proposed penalty for child marriages is not in line with Islamic policy as the legal marriage age of 18 should not apply here because Islam states that a girl can be married as soon as she has "come of age".
It recommended replacing the phrase "child marriage" of the section concerned with "discourage underage marriage".
The committee opposed inclusion of women in peacekeeping missions, saying it would make women insecure and it could tarnish Bangladesh’s image. The ulema proposed cancelling the provision.
They also opposed the provision that women "must be given equal opportunities and participation in wealth, employment, market and business", saying it clashes with the Quran’s teachings. They proposed giving women equal opportunities and participation in these sectors in light of religious dictums.
The committee specifically said one’s inheritance rights should be determined by their own religions.
The ulema asked the government to cancel the initiative to reserve one-third parliamentary seats for women to increase women’s participation in parliament and its application in local elections.
A few Islamist parties started staging demonstrations immediately after the chief adviser announced the National Women Development Policy 2008 on March 8.
On March 11, the law adviser told the ulema that the caretaker government had not passed any law regarding inheritance and there is nothing that contradicts the Quran and Sunnah.
The next day, Women and Children Affairs Adviser Rasheda K Choudhury asked people to refrain from unnecessary criticism of a progressive document like the policy without going through it.
On March 27, the government formed the 20-member committee to identify inconsistencies in the policy as per Islamic rules and suggest steps.
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The Daily Star March 30, 2008
Women Policy FORMATION OF REVIEW BODY QUESTIONED Staff Correspondent
The formation of a high-powered committee to review the Women Development Policy 2008 by keeping the women and children affairs ministry in the dark has surprised many quarters, including the government officials.
Law and Religious Affairs Adviser AF Hassan Ariff, Home Adviser MA Matin, Communications Adviser Ghulam Quader and LGRD Adviser Md Anwarul Iqbal at a meeting on Thursday formed the committee, tasking it with identifying anything in the policy that may go against Islamic rules.
Rights organisations have questioned the quartet’s right to form such a committee once the head of the government formally announced the policy on behalf of the advisory council on March 8.
They plan to hand in a memorandum to the chief adviser in a couple of days, protesting the formation of the review committee and demanding a clarification of the government position on the long-awaited policy.
"After the policy was announced and we were waiting for the start of its implementation, some advisers have literally bowed to pressure from individuals who have been opposing women and social development over the last 50 years," said Sultana Kamal, executive director of Ain O Salish Kendra.
Rights organisations and women leaders said forming such a committee goes against the government’s stated stand on national development, equal rights and the establishment of a corruption-free society.
Key features of the women policy include setting aside one-third of the parliamentary seats for women and arranging direct election to the reserved seats as well as enacting new laws to ensure opportunity for women and their control on earned movable and immovable property.
Earlier, several advisers, including the law adviser himself and Women and Children Affairs Adviser Rasheda K Choudhury, made it clear on several occasions that the new policy contains nothing that goes against the rule and spirit of Islam, but a section of the religious leaders took to the streets to protest the policy, clearly violating the emergency rules.
The law adviser on March 11 told Islamic scholars at the Islamic Foundation that the interim government would not pass any law on inheritance.
The next day Adviser Rasheda urged people not to criticise a "progressive" document like the women development policy before going through it.
But Islamist organisations paid no heed to her call. They accused the government of trying to implement an anti-Shariah policy in the name of women’s development.
Mufti Mohammad Nuruddin, acting khatib of Baitul Mokarram National Mosque, was made convenor of the review committee. It will submit its report within 21 days identifying the "inconsistencies in the policy from the perspective of the Islamic rules".
No official from the women and children affairs ministry was present at the meeting that formed the committee, said sources.
"We were not informed before the meeting and not even after the committee was formed," a top official of the ministry told The Daily Star on condition of anonymity.
"Since the ministry played the key role in formulating the policy and will have to implement it, it is surprising that neither the ministry’s adviser nor any official was asked to attend the meeting," he said.
When asked about this, staffers of the four advisers’ offices said the meeting was arranged hurriedly.
"It seems to be a two-pronged policy. We need to know whether forming the review committee is the decision of the four advisers or the government as we know the advisory council approved the policy," said Ayesha Khanam, president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad.
Saying that all the deliberations over the past few years on formulating the policy appear to have been absolutely meaningless after the government’s bowing to the pressure of "those who are talking against the constitution", Sultana Kamal added, "I can’t help asking who is running the government?"
When contacted last night, Law Adviser Hassan Ariff declined to comment on the issue over the phone.
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The Daily Star, April 17, 2008
Women Policy Cancellation of review body demanded Staff Correspondent
A number of socio-cultural organisations, political parties and non-government organisations (NGO) have demanded cancellation of the committee formed to review the Women Development Policy 2008 and immediate implementation of the policy.
Samajik Protirodh Committee at a protest meeting yesterday urged the chief adviser to implement the Women Development Policy after cancelling the review committee, ban political activities in religious institutions, and clarify the stance of the government on the matter. Dr Hamida Hossain presided over the meeting held at the Central Shaheed Minar.
Karmojibi Nari has also demanded cancellation of the review committee and implementation of the policy.
It also urged the government to initiate trial of war criminals after forming a special tribunal.
Organisation President Shirin Akhter and General Secretary Sharmin Kabir in a joint statement yesterday said, "The Women Development Policy is a significant step by the current government for establishing equal rights and respect for women. But the fundamentalists and war criminals in the country are opposing the policy terming it an anti-Islam policy."
Workers’ Party of Bangladesh has condemned the review committee’s recommendations for omitting six sections and amending 15 others of the Women Development Policy.
It also called upon the government to implement the policy for establishing the rights of women.
"When the entire nation is vocal about trial of war criminals, a certain quarter is trying to create anarchy in the country in the name of religion," the party politburo said in a statement.
The Workers’ Party urged the government to take actions against those responsible for instigating violence near the Baitul Mukarram Mosque.
Samajtantrik Mohila Forum has condemned the move for amending 15 sections and bringing changes in the Women Development Policy.
Those who oppose the idea of establishing equal rights for men and women are against the democratic rights, it said in a statement.
Another NGO Steps Towards Development in a statement signed by its Executive Director Ranjan Karmakar said those who are opposing the Women Development Policy are actually opposing the constitution.
"The quarter that does not recognise the country’s constitution is opposing the Women Development Policy," it said adding that the review committee must be cancelled.
Gender and Development Alliance, an NGO working for promoting gender equality, human rights and good governance, said any opposition to the Women Development Policy is similar to taking stance against the constitution.
Urging the government to implement the policy immediately, Bangladesh Trade Union Centre in a statement said a certain quarter has challenged the constitution by opposing the policy. The organisation leaders called upon the caretaker government to take actions against them.
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