In a workshop held today at the BNPS Central Office conference room, the Bangladesh Women’s Progressive Association (BNPS) shed light on the pressing issue of women’s inheritance rights and family property in Bangladesh. The event, led by BNPS Director Shahnaz Sumi, brought together influential speakers and activists who highlighted the gender-based discrimination women face regarding inheritance rights, often masked under the guise of religious and social customs.
According to Article 28 (1) of the Constitution of Bangladesh, the state is committed to ensuring equal rights for all citizens. However, despite this constitutional mandate, women continue to be deprived of equal rights in inheritance and family property. This discrimination is perpetuated by a complex legal framework, predominantly rooted in religious law, and further reinforced by the discriminatory family laws established by military rulers in 1961. These laws violate the human rights and fundamental rights of women, preventing them from accessing inheritance and family property on equal terms with men.
At the workshop, prominent speakers such as Bangladesh Mahila Parishad Advocacy, Lobby and Legal Director Dipti Sikder, AVAS Barisal Executive Director Rahima Sultana Kajal, SEED Rangpur Executive Director Sarathi Rani Saha, Agrajatra Cox’s Bazar Executive Director Md. Helal Uddin, Rokeya Padak recipient Masuda Faruk Rata, Parliament News BD Editor Shakila Ruma, along with working women and representatives of 30 women’s led organizations, including YWCA, Kormojibi Nari discussed the urgent need for legal reforms to secure equal inheritance rights for women.
The workshop participants expressed their collective commitment to advocating for legal reform and taking effective initiatives to secure equal inheritance rights for women. The consensus was clear: achieving gender equality in inheritance law is crucial for the economic and social empowerment of women, the prevention of child marriage, and the elimination of violence against women.
Bangladesh Nari Pragati Sangha (BNPS) hopes that the relevant authorities and lawmakers will take immediate and effective action to address this issue, ensuring that all women in Bangladesh have equal rights to inheritance and family property. BNPS remains dedicated to advocating for women’s rights and eliminating gender-based discrimination from the grassroots to the policy-making level.
About Bangladesh Nari Pragati Sangha (BNPS):
Since its inception in 1986, Bangladesh Nari Pragati Sangha (BNPS) has been working to eliminate discrimination against women, empowering them economically, socially, and politically, and advocating for their rights at all levels of society.