Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s women’s wing in Bahlbaria union has alleged that women were attacked, harassed and subjected to indecent behaviour at a Quran study gathering (talimul Quran mahfil) in Mirpur, Kushtia. It has demanded the arrest and exemplary punishment of those it holds responsible. The allegations are untested and could not be independently verified.
The claims were made at a news conference on Tuesday (11 August) afternoon at the upazila Jamaat-e-Islami office in the Darus Salam Academy in Mirpur municipality. The president of the Bahlbaria union Jamaat women’s wing read out a written statement, with women’s-wing leaders present.
According to the statement, as part of a month-long women’s outreach and dawah programme announced by Jamaat’s central body, a talimul Quran gathering was held on Monday (10 August) afternoon at a home in the Kharara Natunpara village of ward 1 of Bahlbaria union.
The statement alleged that, towards the end of the gathering, several men — led by a person it described as a local BNP leader — climbed over the boundary wall and entered, behaved indecently towards the women, hurled abuse and physically assaulted several of them.
The women’s-wing leader said the administration needed to play an effective role in ensuring the safety of women taking part in religious programmes and in protecting their religious and social rights.
She demanded the swift arrest of those involved and their lawful and exemplary punishment, and called on the local administration to take specific steps to ensure the safety of women at religious programmes in future.
The account reflects the organisation’s allegations. Those it accused had not responded, and no arrests had been reported.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report