On May 3 today, thousands of supporters of Islamic organizations gathered in the Bangladesh capital to condemn the proposals made to ensure equal rights for men and women.
The leaders of the Hefazat-e-Islam group said the proposed legal reforms are inconsistent with Sharia law.
More than 20,000 followers of the group gathered near Dhaka University to protest the proposed equal rights law, including laws related to the property of primarily Muslim women.
Some people carried banners and placards that read: “Say no to the Western laws of our women, rise to Bangladesh.”
If the government does not meet their demands, the group threatens to organize a rally nationwide on May 23.
Mamunul Haque, the leader of the group, demanded the abolition of the Provisional Government Reform Commission, whose members were punished for the proposed changes.
He said they hurt “the emotions of most people in this country” by labeling inherited religious laws as the main cause of inequality between men and women.
The group’s leaders also demanded that Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Punus, a ban on the interim government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted in August.
Hasina’s opponents accused her government of ending her 15-year reign during the uprising.
Hasina has been exiled in India since her removal.
Since Hasina’s ouster, the Islamic community in Bangladesh has increased their visibility, with minorities complaining about being intimidated.
