Islamist Groups Threaten Bangladesh Government: 'No Escape in 5 Minutes'

In Bangladesh, Islamist parties have issued a strong warning to the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus backed by the military, demanding that the "anti-Islamic" Women's Affairs Reform Commission be dismantled immediately.

The warning came in response to the commission's proposals, which the parties claim espouse "Western-inspired" and "anti-Islamic" ideas. The Islamist coalition, whose parties include the Jatiya Olama Mashayekh Aemma Parishad, has promised mass demonstrations and dire consequences for the government of Yunus if the reforms continue. One of the leaders warned that the government will not have "even five minutes to escape" if it continues with the reforms.

This threat is reminiscent of a rowdy student protest in August 2024, which, when infiltrated by Islamists, saw the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's administration. In Hasina's absence, the temporary administration headed by Yunus has more and more been inclined to cave in to Islamist demands, e.g., lifting the prohibition against the Jamaat-e-Islami and letting off convicted terrorists. There has also been growing reluctance to criticize attacks on religious minorities, and in particular Hindus, which has acted to further consolidate Islamist forces.

The Women's Affairs Reform Commission, established under part of Yunus's interim government in November 2024 and headed by human rights activist Shireen Parveen Haque, had tabled 433 proposals to transform policies related to gender. These proposals involved enhancing the number of women in parliament, granting women equal inheritance rights, and updating family laws to achieve gender equality. Islamist leaders opposed these proposals vehemently, objecting that their implementation would lead to the "legalisation of prostitution" and would "cursed" women's lives instead of solving issues such as trafficking and poverty.

At a seminar in Dhaka on Wednesday, top leaders of various Islamist parties, such as Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, and Islamic Movement Bangladesh, sat together to deliberate over the proposals of the commission. Mamunul Haque, Amir of the Khelafat Majlis, warned that any attempt to implement even a minor aspect of the proposals would be met with strong resistance.

These developments reflect the delicate balancing act that confronts Yunus's caretaker administration as it seeks to push ahead with gender reforms despite intense opposition from the powerful Islamist groups. The government's response to such pressure will be critical in determining the outcome of upcoming elections in 2025 or 2026, as the political climate remains highly charged.