Rights groups and development organisations will hold a grand rally of women in Dhaka on April 27. The rally has been organised in response to radical Islamic group Hefazat-e-Islam’s May 4 ultimatum to the government for meeting its 13-point demand, or face a Dhaka siege programme the next day.
The Social Action Committee, a platform of 68 NGOs with Bangladesh Mahila Parishad as its secretary, convened the grand rally in front of the National Press Club to protest the Islamists’ 13-point demand yesterday.
Sufia Akhter, the mass media secretary of the Mahila Parishad, said the committee would hold another meeting at the Mahila Parishad office to formulate plans. The committee would seek adequate protection from the government for holding a non-violent rally, she added.
“Making the grand rally a success is not solely the women’s responsibility. All democratic people should join, and protest the radicals’ demand to shackle women, in the name of religion,” Sultana Kamal, chief of the rights group Ain-O-Shalish Kendra, told the Dhaka Tribune.
Along with Bangladesh Mohila Parishad and Ain-O-Shalish Kendra, Manusher Jonno Foundation, Kormojibi Nari, Bangladesh Women Lawyers’ Association, Nijera Kori, Action Aid, Campaign for Popular Education, the Hill Women’s Foundation, National Girl Children Advocacy Forum, Step towards Development, Bikoshito Nari Netwrok and Proshika were on frontline of the committee.
