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Women Development Policy

Govt asked not to give in to any pressure

Staff Correspondent
Concerned at Islamists' recent moves in the name of protesting against Women Development Policy, 2008. eminent citizens yesterday said giving in to their pressure would push the country back to the Middle Ages.
They said the agitating groups arc misinterpreting Islam when Muslim countries across the globe have moved away from the traditional provisions to keep pace with international development.
They urged the government to deal with the situation with a strong hand if it docs not intend to fall back to the dark ages. They said these at an opinion-exchange meeting on "Women’s Constitutional Rights: Perspective-Women Development Policy and Recent Debate".
Nagorik Uddyog organised the programme at the BIAM Foundation in Dhaka
Yesterday's meeting saw a number of citizens' representatives express deep concern about the demonstrations and recommendations of an ulema review com-mittee aimed at blocking the long-awaited policy announced by the chief adviser on March 8
Blasting the government for showing leniency towards the group that demonstrated in Dhaka violating the state of emergency and attacked Hathazari Police Station In Chittagong, they questioned how only four advisers could opt to form a review committee comprising ulemas.
"If mollahtantra [theocracy] succeeds, the country will plunge into darkness. The mullahs have vetoed the much-awaited policy," noted Prof Khan Sorwar Murshid who presided over the programme
Questioning the rationale of the violent protests when the policy is not at all "that much revolutionary", he wondered if all in the government had agreed upon the policy. "Why did the government become lenient towards them?"
The review committee members represent the "savages" who demonstrated in Dhaka and Chittagong, he said, adding, "The word of a public servant or a madrasa student cannot be the last word.” "How come some advisers rushed to the ulemas and formed a committee after the chief adviser had announced the policy on behalf of the council of advisers? And why a religious quarter was given the task neglecting experts and rights activists," Hameeda Hossain said, adding that chief of Hathazari Madrasa. whose students attacked Hathazari Police Station, was on the review committee.
Human rights activist Khushi Kabir said the policy was formed not only basing one religion, it aims at development of women irrespective of religion and giving in to the group's pressure would mean paving the way for turning the country into a fascist Islamist state.
Asking the government to make its stance clear regarding the policy. Bangladesh Mahila Parishad President Ayesha Khanam pointed out that the policy is not for Muslim women alone.
Most of the Muslim countries have moved away from traditional provisions over the ages, Bangladesh has also done that. There are only a few cases like the inheritance issue where we are maintaining it here, §hahdeen Malik said referring to Resolution of Muslim Marriage Act, 1929 and the law regarding custody of children.
" It cannot be done in the case of inheritance because there is a shortage of people to talk honestly about it with an open mind,” he said.
Blasting the role of the Baitul Mukarram Khatib, former finance minister AMA Muhit said there is no provision for priesthood in Islam.
The government did not permit Samajik Protirodh Committee to hold a meeting on April 25 but the fundamentalist forces did not bother to seek permission and indulged in violence, the speakers mentioned.
The participants demanded stopping religion-based politics and use of mosques for political purposes.
ABM Musa, Syed Abul Moksud, Zafrullah Chowdhury, Badiul Alam Majumder, Farzana Islam and Ruhin Hossain Prince also participated in the discussion.