‘You won’t even get 5 minutes to…’: Bangladeshi extremist parties threaten Mohammad Yunus for…

Islamist parties in Bangladesh have strongly warned the army-backed interim government of Muhammad Yunus to immediately disband the “anti-Islamic” Women’s Affairs Reform Commission. Threatening a mass protest, leaders from the Jatiya Olama Mashayekh Aemma Parishad, a coalition of Islamist parties, cautioned that the Yunus-led government would face serious repercussions, with one leader stating they would “not get even five minutes to escape” if the reforms continue, according to the Dhaka-based Bengali newspaper Prothom Alo.

What exactly happend?

The warning’s reference to “won’t get even five minutes” alluded to the 45 minutes Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had on August 5, 2024, to leave the country as a large crowd marched towards her residence, fueled by anger. It has been reported that Islamists had become involved in the student-led protest, contributing to the widespread violence during the final days of the agitation.

The Islamists accused the commission of promoting “anti-Islamic” and “Western-inspired” proposals, according to the Dhaka-based Daily Star.

“You have to keep in mind that the enemies who are confronting you cannot take advantage of this. Even then, if you want to move forward, you will not get even five minutes (to escape),” Prothom Alo quoted Mufti Syed Rezaul Karim, the Amir of the Islamic Movement Bangladesh, as saying.

This comes after the Yunus government was downplaying attacks on minority groups, including Hindus.

On Wednesday, a seminar held by the Jatiya Olama Mashayekh Aemma Parishad included key leaders from various Islamist parties, such as Islamic Movement Bangladesh, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, and Islamic Unity Alliance, as reported by Prothom Alo.

Mamunul Haque, the Amir of the Khelafat Majlis, intensified the warnings, stating that implementing “even a hair” of the proposals would necessitate the government to do so “over our dead bodies,” claiming a “pre-planned conspiracy” involving the Chief Adviser’s office and foreign agendas.

In addition to demanding the immediate abolishment of the commission, the Islamists also rejected its recommendations, calling for a new commission composed of “pious, educated, and socially conscious women who truly represent the country’s female population.”

During the seminar, some Islamist speakers argued that the government’s acceptance of the proposals would result in the “recognition of prostitution as a profession,” asserting it would legitimize a “cursed life” for women rather than addressing issues such as trafficking and poverty.

Following the commission’s report submission to Muhammad Yunus on April 19, Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh issued the government a May 3 deadline to dissolve the commission, as reported by BDnews24 last week.

Hasina had previously engaged with Hefazat-e-Islam in an attempt to gain support from Islamists in Bangladesh to expand her political base.

When it was established?

Established by Bangladesh’s interim government on November 18, 2024, and led by rights activist Shireen Parveen Haque, the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission presented 433 recommendations designed to reform gender-related policies.

The commission’s key recommendations include doubling parliamentary seats to 600, with 300 reserved for women through direct elections, along with steps to ensure equal inheritance rights and restructuring family laws to promote gender equality.

Prior to the recent warning, Chief Adviser Yunus had voiced support for the prompt implementation of the proposals.

The interim government’s drive for reforms, including those suggested by the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission, is part of a wider effort to tackle systemic issues. However, the strong opposition from Islamist parties highlights the delicate balance Yunus must maintain to ensure stability before the promised elections by late 2025 or early 2026.