Dhaka, Bangladesh – Thousands of supporters affiliated with the Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam held a large-scale demonstration in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, on May 3rd, to express their strong opposition to proposed legal reforms aimed at establishing greater gender equality.

Hefazat-e-Islam, a significant and influential Islamist movement in Bangladesh, asserts that these proposed reforms, which seek to grant women equal rights, are fundamentally incompatible with their interpretation of Sharia law.

More than 20,000 members and followers of the group gathered near the Dhaka University area, a location historically significant for protests and demonstrations in the nation. The protesters voiced their dissent through chants, speeches, and the display of banners and placards. Many of these banners carried messages such as, “Say no to Western laws on our women, rise up Bangladesh,” reflecting the group’s perception that the proposed reforms are being imposed by external, Western influences and are detrimental to the values and traditions of Bangladesh.

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Hefazat-e-Islam issued a strong warning to the interim government, threatening to organize widespread rallies across the country on May 23rd if their demands are not addressed. This ultimatum underscores the group’s determination to exert pressure on the government to abandon the proposed legislation.

A key figure in Hefazat-e-Islam, Mamunul Haque, delivered a fiery speech, demanding the immediate dissolution of the interim government’s reforms commission. Haque further called for the commission’s members to be held accountable for putting forth the proposed changes, which he characterized as deeply offensive to the religious sentiments of the majority of Bangladeshis. He argued that the commission’s assertion that existing inheritance laws, based on Islamic principles, are a primary source of gender inequality, constitutes a direct attack on their faith.

The group’s demands extended beyond the issue of women’s rights reforms. Hefazat-e-Islam also called for the interim government, which is currently led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, to impose a ban on the Awami League party. This political party, headed by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was ousted from power in a coup in August of the previous year.

Supporters of the groups opposed to Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government accuse it of being responsible for the deaths of hundreds of students and others during the widespread uprising that ultimately led to her removal from office after a 15-year rule. Sheikh Hasina has since been living in exile in neighboring India.

The political landscape in Bangladesh has become increasingly complex and volatile, particularly following Sheikh Hasina’s ouster. Islamist groups, such as Hefazat-e-Islam, have gained more prominence and visibility in the absence of her government. This rise in Islamist influence has led to increased concerns among minority groups, who have reported instances of intimidation and harassment. The current protests highlight the deep divisions within Bangladeshi society and the challenges the interim government faces in navigating these complex issues, particularly the sensitive issue of balancing religious and cultural norms with the demands for greater gender equality.