The High Court (HC) on Sunday (May 14) issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain in four weeks why they should not be directed to take steps for addressing and resolving the issues relating to the deprivation of Hindu women’s rights.

The Hindu women demanded rights to divorce and marriage registration, maintenance and adaption, guardianship, equal inheritance of property and repeal of optional provision for Hindu Marriage Registration Act 2012.

The court asked the cabinet secretary, law, children and women affairs and religious affairs secretaries to respond to the rule.   

The court also asked the government to explain why its failure to frame guidelines to address the issues relating to Hindu women’s rights to divorce and marriage registration, guardianship, maintenance, adoption, equal right to inherit property and repeal of Hindu Marriage Registration Act  2012 making the marriage optional, should not be declared illegal.   

A bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Muhammad Mahbub Ul Islam issued the rule after hearing a public interest litigation writ petition.

Three Hindu citizens— Poli Benarjee, Ujjal Paul and Bitisha Bagchi and five right campaigners— Ain O Salish Kendra, Bangladesh Legal Aid and ServicesTrust, Naripokkho, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad and Manusher Jonno Foundation—jointly filed the writ petition on May 3.

Senior lawyers ZI Khan Panna and his juniors Syeda Nasrin, SM Rezaul Karim, and Shahinuzzaman Shahin moved the petitions.

BDST: 1927 HRS, MAY 14, 2023
MSK/SMS