Hifazat demands Women’s Affairs Reform Commission scrapped, Jamaat rejects report

The party sets May 3 ultimatum, while Jamaat says its proposals go against religious values

Two of Bangladesh’s most prominent Islamist groups have expressed strong opposition to the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission, with Hifazat-e Islam calling for its complete abolition and Jamaat-e-Islami rejecting the commission’s recently submitted report.

The criticism began after the commission handed over its report to Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus on Saturday.

Religious leaders have since accused the commission of proposing ideas that conflict with Islamic tenets.

Hifazat has given the government until May 3 to meet several demands, including the dissolution of the commission.

It warned of announcing fresh action at a grand rally on the same day if its demands are not met.

Jamaat, meanwhile, issued a formal rejection of the commission’s report through a statement posted on the party’s verified Facebook page on Sunday night.

In the statement, party chief Shafiqur Rahman said: “The Women’s Affairs Reform Commission submitted its report to the chief advisor (Saturday). We are shocked to see the recommendations.”

He added, “At a time when the country is grappling with social and familial problems stemming from a decline in moral values, the commission’s report has proposed immoral elements instead of restoring order based on ethical and religious principles.

“Some of the proposals directly violate the Quran and Hadith, and undermine the values of all religions.

“The people of Bangladesh will not accept this,” he said.

The interim government had formed the commission on Nov 18, 2024, appointing Shireen Parveen Haque, a founding member of rights organisation Naripokkho, as its chair.

The commission submitted a list of 433 recommendations to the chief advisor on Saturday.

A government statement said he had called for swift implementation of some of them.

While Jamaat rejected the report, Hifazat wants the entire commission scrapped.

The group’s demands and future plans were laid out at an emergency meeting of its central executive council held at the Diploma Engineers Institute in Dhaka’s Kakrail on Sunday.

Hifazat chief Shah Muhibullah Babunagari presided over the meeting, attended by Secretary General Sajidur Rahman and other senior leaders.

Joint Secretary General Mamunul Haque announced the organisation’s position after the meeting.

“Our first demand is the withdrawal of all false cases filed against Hifazat leaders during the ‘fascist’ regime. Justice must be ensured for all killings, including those of Hifazat activists in the 2013 Shapla Chattar incident and the 2021 anti-Modi (Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi) protests.”

He also criticised a key proposal in the constitutional reform commission.

“We strongly reject the notion of pluralism proposed in the constitutional reform draft. That must be scrapped, and the clause reinstated that declares unwavering faith in Almighty Allah.”

Mamunul said: “The proposals submitted by the commission on Saturday and presented to the Consensus Commission are deeply offensive. Shockingly, these proposals label Islamic inheritance law and family law as discriminatory against women. We reject and demand the cancellation of this proposal.”

He went on to describe the recommendations as “controversial, Islamophobic, insulting to devout Muslims, anti-Islamic, and conflicting with the Quran and Sunnah”.

“For these reasons, we demand the commission be abolished. Moreover, the chief advisor’s Facebook page has promoted these proposals and expressed intent to implement them under the current government. We demand that this declaration be withdrawn.”

Mamunul warned that if the government fails to respond, Hifazat will intensify its protest.

“If by May 3 the Chief Advisor’s Office does not withdraw the announcement, revoke the reform proposals, and scrap the commission responsible for insulting Islam, we will announce our next steps from the grand rally on that day.”