On Sunday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called for the protection of women's property rights and preventing the misuse of Sharia law to deprive them of their fair share of wealth.
She asked concerned authorities to look into the matter, while addressing a program marking National Legal Aid Services Day 2019 at a hotel in Dhaka, reports BSS.
Addressing the judges present at the event, she said: "Yes, we should adhere to Sharia law. However, you should look into how to prevent women from being deprived of their husbands' and fathers' property in the guise of Islamic law."
The prime minister further said this was causing a lot of social injustice. "We say only two children are enough, but what will happen to them if both are daughters?"
She questioned how wealth would then be distributed when a husband or father dies.
"I am not asking anyone to reform Sharia law. However, property laws should address this issue too," she suggested.
The prime minister suggested replacing the words "son" and "daughter" in the laws with the word "child,” so that no matter what the gender of the child is, they can get a fair share of their parents' property.
"An initiative should be taken to address this," she urged.
Anticipating criticism on this matter from Islamic thinkers, Hasina added that she had already spoken to many religious leaders regarding the matter,most of whom agreed with her proposition.
"Although Islam ensures the protection of women's property rights, brothers sometimes do not want to give their sisters what they are owed," she said, adding that this sort of social injustice has to be stopped.
