A move more likely to divide than unify the nation
Saturday, 15 March 2008
Enayet Rasul
THE train of events that started since the recent observance of the International Women's Day is deeply regrettable to say the least. It would be more appropriate to say that it has opened up the Pandora's box to spill out all kinds of ugly situations leading to strife and unrest in society which would be best avoided in the interest of holding national elections smoothly that needs to be at the top of the nation's agenda. The religious and even non religious forces are closing ranks and preparing to start agitation, perhaps, to put pressure on the government to withdraw what they perceive as a move that is very offending to them religiously or to their long held religious values.
The furore started over the Women Development Plan that was adopted by the Council of Advisers on the eve of the International Women's Day. There is nothing so seriously objectionable in the plan but the government should have probably done better by first eliciting wide-ranging public opinion on it before endorsing it hastily. There is a very instigating aspect in the plan dealing with Muslim inheritance laws. It recommended that these laws should be changed to upgrade the properties to be inherited by Muslim females to be at par with the males. This suggestion was enough to trigger a big uproar from different quarters who were understandably shocked by the government's rough intrusion into a domain that has been traditionally seen to be reserved exclusively as an area for religious laws and customs .
The greater share of family properties now going to males is not the selfish creation of the Islamic clergy. The same traces back to commandments in the holiest book of Muslims, the Koran, where the Almighty Allah in His infinite wisdom declared such apportioning of properties favouring men over women in the Koranic verses. Thus, adherence to these laws is the same as being a practicing Muslim or a real believer in the faith. The Koran, since it records the guidance from Almighty Allah to the believers, must be unquestioningly obeyed by all Muslims for them to be considered or judged as Muslims. This inviolability of Koranic laws have been the real motor fuel for the protestors to react so adversely to the proposition in the Women Development plan or the section in it relating to inheritance laws that runs afoul of what has been dictated in the holy Koran and remains binding on all Muslims. Thus, it should be plain to realise why this suggestion in the plan, contravening as it does the Koran itself in the matter, has been found so objectionable and reprehensive by Islamists in general and a big part of the population of this country who are very preponderantly Muslims by faith.
No other country with a Muslim majority population, has so far introduced any law that would be repugnant to Koranic injunctions because of the obvious merit of not offending the religious belief and sentiments of their people. Unfortunately, these aspects were overlooked while drafting the Women Development Plan.
Now, the Adviser concerned is saying that neither he or his government intends to introduce such a law not at least during their tenure. But these soothing words are failing to satisfy for the simple reason that the offending suggestions remain in the Women Development Plan and these have not been deleted and government has not said anything conclusively that it intends to do the same. Thus, government is not taking the initiative for now to change the inheritance laws but the way is being kept open for a future government to do so based on this plan. Therefore, the protesters are saying that government should give proof of its sincerity in the matter by recanting in public and actually deleting the offending suggestions from the Women Development Plan. Till this is done, they would not be assured of the government's true and atoning motives.
What is of great significance is also the unfurling of this plan at this very sensitive time the country is passing through. Everything should be done in the next five or six months to prevent kick-starting of social discord or unrest over any issue to ensure the smooth holding of the election. But the inheritance laws issue carries all the grave potentials of opening the Pandora's box of troubles. From street agitation to all kinds of unruly acts and incidents of public disorder can break out over the issue. In that case, social peace and cohesion could be seriously disrupted impacting negatively on the holding of the election.
The attempt to override the Koran in the area of inheritance laws could divide the nation deeply when social cohesion and stability are desired the most for the obvious reasons. Bangladesh is very largely a homogenous country for the cultural, linguistic and racial unity of its people. The ones wanting to divide its people to further their nefarious designs, therefore, found little opportunity so far to meddle in its internal affairs for this remarkable homogeneity. It has been a source of strength for the country.
But the inheritance laws issue can divide the genders, cut through households, antagonize males against females and set one against the other from the latter developing a sense of grievances against perceived attempt to perpetuate male dominance in society. Thus, a society at peace with itself for many centuries, could experience a real shattering of that peace. Not only the wider social peace but individual family peace and happiness could be marred by such dissension.
Thus, it is imperative not to treat this issue casually but to deal with it swiftly and surgically by deleting the tendentious suggestions from the Women Development Plan.
THE train of events that started since the recent observance of the International Women's Day is deeply regrettable to say the least. It would be more appropriate to say that it has opened up the Pandora's box to spill out all kinds of ugly situations leading to strife and unrest in society which would be best avoided in the interest of holding national elections smoothly that needs to be at the top of the nation's agenda. The religious and even non religious forces are closing ranks and preparing to start agitation, perhaps, to put pressure on the government to withdraw what they perceive as a move that is very offending to them religiously or to their long held religious values.
The furore started over the Women Development Plan that was adopted by the Council of Advisers on the eve of the International Women's Day. There is nothing so seriously objectionable in the plan but the government should have probably done better by first eliciting wide-ranging public opinion on it before endorsing it hastily. There is a very instigating aspect in the plan dealing with Muslim inheritance laws. It recommended that these laws should be changed to upgrade the properties to be inherited by Muslim females to be at par with the males. This suggestion was enough to trigger a big uproar from different quarters who were understandably shocked by the government's rough intrusion into a domain that has been traditionally seen to be reserved exclusively as an area for religious laws and customs .
The greater share of family properties now going to males is not the selfish creation of the Islamic clergy. The same traces back to commandments in the holiest book of Muslims, the Koran, where the Almighty Allah in His infinite wisdom declared such apportioning of properties favouring men over women in the Koranic verses. Thus, adherence to these laws is the same as being a practicing Muslim or a real believer in the faith. The Koran, since it records the guidance from Almighty Allah to the believers, must be unquestioningly obeyed by all Muslims for them to be considered or judged as Muslims. This inviolability of Koranic laws have been the real motor fuel for the protestors to react so adversely to the proposition in the Women Development plan or the section in it relating to inheritance laws that runs afoul of what has been dictated in the holy Koran and remains binding on all Muslims. Thus, it should be plain to realise why this suggestion in the plan, contravening as it does the Koran itself in the matter, has been found so objectionable and reprehensive by Islamists in general and a big part of the population of this country who are very preponderantly Muslims by faith.
No other country with a Muslim majority population, has so far introduced any law that would be repugnant to Koranic injunctions because of the obvious merit of not offending the religious belief and sentiments of their people. Unfortunately, these aspects were overlooked while drafting the Women Development Plan.
Now, the Adviser concerned is saying that neither he or his government intends to introduce such a law not at least during their tenure. But these soothing words are failing to satisfy for the simple reason that the offending suggestions remain in the Women Development Plan and these have not been deleted and government has not said anything conclusively that it intends to do the same. Thus, government is not taking the initiative for now to change the inheritance laws but the way is being kept open for a future government to do so based on this plan. Therefore, the protesters are saying that government should give proof of its sincerity in the matter by recanting in public and actually deleting the offending suggestions from the Women Development Plan. Till this is done, they would not be assured of the government's true and atoning motives.
What is of great significance is also the unfurling of this plan at this very sensitive time the country is passing through. Everything should be done in the next five or six months to prevent kick-starting of social discord or unrest over any issue to ensure the smooth holding of the election. But the inheritance laws issue carries all the grave potentials of opening the Pandora's box of troubles. From street agitation to all kinds of unruly acts and incidents of public disorder can break out over the issue. In that case, social peace and cohesion could be seriously disrupted impacting negatively on the holding of the election.
The attempt to override the Koran in the area of inheritance laws could divide the nation deeply when social cohesion and stability are desired the most for the obvious reasons. Bangladesh is very largely a homogenous country for the cultural, linguistic and racial unity of its people. The ones wanting to divide its people to further their nefarious designs, therefore, found little opportunity so far to meddle in its internal affairs for this remarkable homogeneity. It has been a source of strength for the country.
But the inheritance laws issue can divide the genders, cut through households, antagonize males against females and set one against the other from the latter developing a sense of grievances against perceived attempt to perpetuate male dominance in society. Thus, a society at peace with itself for many centuries, could experience a real shattering of that peace. Not only the wider social peace but individual family peace and happiness could be marred by such dissension.
Thus, it is imperative not to treat this issue casually but to deal with it swiftly and surgically by deleting the tendentious suggestions from the Women Development Plan.