On Saturday, nearly 20,000 supporters of the Islamist organization Hefazat-e-Islam rallied in the streets of Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, to protest, among other issues, proposed government reforms to support gender equality and women’s rights.
The protesters, who claimed that “men and women can never be equal,” were opposing reforms recommended by the country’s Women’s Affairs Reform Commission. The commission was established by Bangladesh’s interim government, which took office after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power following mass protests in August 2024.
The commission’s recent recommendations include calling for the government to criminalize marital rape; ensure the equal rights of all women regardless of their religion, ethnicity, and class, including by instituting a single family law; provide for equal parental rights for women; protect women’s right to inheritance; increase women’s parliamentary representation; protect the rights of sex workers; build a gender-based violence-free society; and empower women through education and skills development.
The commission aligned these recommendations with the country’s commitment to democracy and secularism, two of the Bangladeshi Constitution’s fundamental principles.
At the rally, Hefazat-e-Islam demanded an end to all activities they deem “anti-Islamic,” including gender equality, a position that contradicts the constitution and international human rights law. The group has lobbied to disband the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission and pledged to organize rallies across the nation on May 23 if their demands were not met.
The interim government, led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, should swiftly denounce these attacks on the fundamental human rights of women and girls in Bangladesh and give full consideration to adopting the commission’s recommendations.
The Bangladeshi government should comply with its obligations under international human rights law to ensure gender equality, including Bangladesh’s obligations as a state party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The government should also withdraw Bangladesh’s two remaining reservations to CEDAW.
Women and girls have played leadership roles throughout Bangladesh’s history, from the fight for independence in 1971 to the 2024 Monsoon Revolution, which saw the most widespread participation of women in the country’s history. Today’s period of political transition is another inflection point and a unique opportunity for Bangladesh’s government to strengthen its commitment to women’s rights. The government should not miss the chance to do so.
