Author
Thatcher
50 seconds
5 died in Dhaka, Bangledesh yesterday adding to the 5 deaths and 100
injuries in violent clashes set off by Islamic religious leaders and right-wing opposition
party members, blocking a rally by NGOs, feminists and secular groups. Both the rally and
the counter-strike were responses to the Bangledeshi High Court ruling to restrict fatwas,
or mandatory religious orders. This is the latest in a centuries-old battle over
the right of women in Islamic countries. Lately NGO's in Bangledesh have worked to improve the
economic conditions of women. Local religious leaders, men who often abuse
their religous athourity to restrict women's rights, issued fatwas in response
to NGO programs. In the capital, one person, a police officer, was murdered by anti-NGO people in
a mosque--one of the very worst crimes under Islamic law. The lack of control, and government
involvement has only worsened an already growing dissatisfaction with the government
and complicated the upcoming election.