The New Nation - Internet Edition

Mostafa Kamal Majumder

The debate on the national women development policy at one stage looked like coming to an end. But instead it rages on with expression of sentiments that would make the Bangladesh society look like being divided on the question of the development of the state of the fair sex. But a close look into the debate would prove the reverse.

When the religious groups sharply reacted to publication in February of the said policy document expressing their concern that it carried the seeds of violation of the law and rules on women's property inheritance rights, the government side promptly responded by asserting that nothing would be done against the ordains of the Quran and the Sunnah.

A committee led by the acting Khattib of the Baitul Mukarram national mosque was constituted to suggest amendments to the policy document if they felt there was anything that contradicted the law and rules prescribed by Islam. The committee submitted its report. Yet seminar and symposia are on to assert full support to the policy and criticise those who ask for its suitable amendment.

A scrutiny would reveal that the debate is based on some wrong assumptions like some people are against the development of women in Bangladesh. If this is the case there would have been violent protests against increase of reserved seats for women in Parliament from 30 to 45, reservation of women's seats in local government bodies, and stipends to encourage the education of girls up to the higher secondary level. In fact, it is due to this promotional policy that girl enrolment in schools is equal to and in some cases greater than that of boys. Women are also increasingly taking a significant share in all categories of jobs.

The real cause of dissent to the policy lies in the assertion of "equal share of women" in "movable and immovable property" which the ulema finds contradicting the principles of property inheritance prescribed by the holy Quran and the Sunnah. Some other criticisms made by the opponents of the policy are rejected by even Islamist women activists. If the government is against violation of Islamic law and rules then what's the harm in doing some amendments to the policy by retaining everything save those paragraphs that appear like contradicting the same? The essence of criticism of the policy is that inheritance rights given to women in Islam is far more progressive than in any other religion and that the fair sex actually gets more than men if the religious laws and rules are followed.

It is argued that in Islam a woman has been granted rights to property as daughter, wife as well as mother which together totals more property inherited by men. Then again, it is the responsibility of the man to ensure the upkeep of his wife. Similarly, a wife has claim on the property of her husband not vice versa. And since this scheme has come from the holy book, it is inviolable.

There are however, some social practices that go against women's interests. Right to property of sisters is often neglected by their brothers, and in a majority of cases those sisters who do not use the threat of taking recourse to the law are refused inheritance of property of parents. Then there has also developed the practice of dowry demanded by bridegrooms at the time of marriage which is a burden on the bride and their parents. Women also complain of not being paid the dower that is promised at the time of marriage.

It is thus urgent that the uncalled for debate is put to an end because there is no resistance to women's development. Promoters of women's rights would give them a better service by pressing the enforcement of the rights granted to women in Islam.