Dhaka,(Barta24.com): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that, “only Islam has granted the rights of women in the property of father. But that is not sufficient to ensure it. So if there is any scope to bring reformation in the Islamic Sharia law, then her government will take initiatives to bring reformation in that direction.”
She told this on Sunday (April 28) at Hotel Intercontinental in connection with the inauguration of ‘National legal Aid Day’ addressing the judges and law experts who were present in the function.
Sheikh Hasina said, “We must abide by the tenets of Islam. It is right. Even then the women are not safe by the existing religious law and causes sufferings to women frequently. The mother and daughters are deprived of their father’s or husband’s property giving the plea of Sharia law. So I would request you to think over the matter for doing some thing for the unfortunate women folk.”
She said that only Islam has ensured the rights of women on father’s property but frequently it is being violated. The brothers snatched away the property as they are women.
She further said that, ”in 1996 when Awami League formed government then I used to visit slum areas and talked to the minor children about their wretched condition. When I inquired about their fate I came to know that they have been driven out of their houses along with their mothers after the death of their father and now they have taken shelter in the slums. Gradually the minor children have become ‘Tokai’ and you can easily judge the fate of their mothers. So this social injustice cannot exist in our country permanently. She urged upon all to give attention to this recurring problem.”
The Prime Minister said, “You all know that during our liberation war many intellectuals were killed. Many martyred intellectuals had only one daughter in the family. The only daughter had a brother who was also killed in the freedom struggle. But the cruelty is that, wife of that killed brother had driven out the daughter from the house of his father and brother. This was very much painful and cruel indeed.”
Sheikh Hasina said that, “With the increase of wealth the greed of the people has also increased in the same speed. We have a slogan that ‘two children is enough.’ If the two children becomes daughter then what will be the share of their mother and of their also. How you will solve the problem? However we can go for a solution in this way. I suggest you to write ‘inheritor’ instead of son or daughter. Then either he or she definitely will get due share.”
She said that in case of such reformation in the Sharia law many will try to resist it even can oppose it tooth and nail. Even then it should be reformed. I have earlier discussed the matter with many religious leaders who opined that the rights of women should be preserved.”
It may be mentioned here that from 2013 on April 28 the ‘National Legal Aid Day’ is being observed by the government every year. The aim of this day is to establish the legal rights of the helpless and underprivileged of the society.