A News and Feature Service report in Aajker Ka-goj of 5 June claims that fatwas have directly and indirectly caused death and victimisation of over 50 women In remote villages in Bangladesh, uoeal protests were silenced by , rejecting fatwa as a customary p'wtice Since many of these incidents took place surreptitiously, there was little time for counter action. Nevertheless prosecution cases were initiated in most cases, and in the first matter relating to Nurje-han's death in Chattokchora village in Maulvi Bazar. Maulana Mannan, the fatwabaz and 8 others have been convicted by the additional district magistrate. The case against the accused In the murder by fatwa of Nuijehan of Madhukhali has been dismissed. A charge sheet has been issued against .11 accused in the death of Feroza instigated by fatwa.

Despite this it seems that the fatwabaz feel sufficiently confident to announce the execution of their fatwa In ad vance. On 17 June. Bhorer Kagoz ran a report from its correspondent in village Dhan sher in Kasba, Brahmanbarla. Informing the readers of the advance notice of a fatwa to be executed on 12 July. Accord Ing to this report.

"Maulana Fazlul Haq and the salish chairman Azizul Haq have accused a young girl Shapnahar. who had earlier been raped, of zlna and declared a public lashing on 12 July." Is this advance notice being given-to allow everyone a grandstand view of the gruesome violations of human rights In Bangladesh? The Maulana and his accomplices appear to feel they are above the law of the country.

Numerous other cases where mosque Imams or maulanas may have taken law into their own hands under the excuse of customary practice may by now have been interred into local history and will not surface into national news. The report on fatwa has appeared in the same paper twice before and has reappeared in other papers this week. Will this press Information induce the law enforcement agency to preempt the perpetuation of such Illegal acts? The Mahila Parishad and Ain O Salish Kendra met the Inspector General of Police who reassured them that the police would Investigate the matter Perhaps the local administration and law enforcing agencies will take serious note of the threat to the entire society by the continued violations of the law in the name of

— Ain O Salish Kendra