Hefazat-e-Islam has been served with a legal notice by six women — three leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and three activists — over what they described as ‘public abuse and incitement against women’ during a recent rally.
The notice was sent Monday afternoon through Advocate Palash Ahmed.
It challenged Hefazat’s use of the word ‘pr*sti*ute’ to describe women in the public sphere, reportedly made during speeches of several leaders of Hefazat-e-Islam at a public gathering held on Saturday.
Those filing the notice include NCP leaders Syeda Nilima Dola, Dyuti Aranya Chowdhury and Nila Afroze alongside writers and cultural figures Umme Rayhana, Umme Farhana and Kameliya Sharmin Chura.
In a joint statement to the media, the women said, “There is no room for this kind of abuse in the new Bangladesh — especially after the July Movement, where women played a pivotal role. No one has the right to label women this way, regardless of political or religious ideology.”
The notice comes in the context of the interim government’s proposal to form a Women’s Reform Commission, which some conservative groups, including Hefazat-e-Islam, have criticised.
While the six women acknowledged that dissent over the commission is legitimate in a democracy, they argued that “public slander is not”. “It is unacceptable to insult those who worked on the reform proposals — especially women involved in shaping policies on freedom and livelihood,” the statement read, adding, “we expect argument, not abuse.”
The notice also raises questions about Hefazat’s commitment to Islamic principles on women’s rights. “According to Islamic inheritance law, have Hefazat’s leaders given property rights to the women in their families?” the statement raises the question.
Speaking to media outlets, NCP leader Syeda Nilima Dola said, “People are allowed to disagree with the [Women’s Reform Commission] recommendations. But calling these women ‘pr*stitu*es’ in a public assembly is a form of gender violence.”
Alongside that, when asked about NCP leader Hasnat Abdullah’s appearance at the Hefazat rally, Dola clarified that he attended as part of a political dialogue.
The legal notice reportedly also points to Hefazat’s past affiliations with pro-Awami League groups, questioning how a religious organisation with such political ties is allowed to hold public rallies using derogatory language.
At the time of filing this report, Hefazat-e-Islam has not issued any formal response.