Rally Overview:
On Saturday, May 3, 2025, nearly 20,000 supporters of the hardline Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh rallied at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka to protest proposed government reforms aimed at ensuring equal rights for women (hrw.org). Hefazat-e-Islam’s leaders denounced an interim government’s Women’s Affairs Reform Commission report – which recommended strengthening women’s rights in areas like property inheritance – as contrary to Islamic Sharia law (apnews.com). Many demonstrators carried banners such as “Say no to Western laws on our women, rise up Bangladesh,” underscoring their rejection of what they perceive as foreign or Western-imposed gender equality initiatives (apnews.com). The rally, which drew thousands of the group’s followers, was called to protect “religious and cultural traditions” against these reforms and what the group sees as an official push for liberal values like secular pluralism and LGBT inclusion (dhakatribune.com).
Hefazat-e-Islam’s Nayeb-e-Amir (vice-president) Maulana Mahfuzul Haque formally presented a 12-point charter of demands at the event, after offering prayers for “martyrs” of past crackdowns on Islamist movements (notably the 2013 Shapla Chattar incident) (jagonews24.com). The gathering was addressed by several prominent Islamist and allied figures, and the group’s Secretary General Maulana Sajedur Rahman announced plans for nationwide protests on May 23, 2025 if their demands were not met (dhakatribune.com) (jagonews24.com ). Hefazat leaders also indicated they would hold divisional conferences over the next three months to champion what they term women’s “rightful rights” within an Islamic framework (dhakatribune.com).
12-Point Charter of Demands:
Hefazat-e-Islam’s declaration at the rally outlined a broad 12-point list of demands, spanning issues of women’s rights, religion, education, and politics. Key demands included:
Abolish the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission report: Immediately scrap the interim government’s Women’s Affairs Reform Commission’s “anti-Quran” reform report, which Hefazat claims contradicts Islamic teachings, and instead form a new commission composed of “religiously-minded” women representatives to propose reforms based on Islamic and local cultural values rather than Western ideals (jagonews24.com).
Reinstate Islamic principles in the Constitution: Amend the constitution to restore “complete faith and trust in Almighty Allah” (removed in past secular reforms) and abandon the concept of secular “pluralism.” In line with this, halt all government efforts to promote LGBT or transgender inclusion under “inclusive” slogans or policies, which the group argues are part of an unwanted liberal agenda (jagonews24.com) (dhakatribune.com).
Justice for Islamist protesters (“Shapla Chattar” and July 2024): Expand the capacity of special tribunals to expedite trials for the 2013 Shapla Chattar crackdown and the July 2024 uprising, in which Islamist activists were killed. Hefazat insists that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (ousted in August 2024) and her associates be brought to justice for the alleged massacres before the next national elections (jagonews24.com)
Ban the Awami League (AL) party: Declare Sheikh Hasina’s political party, the Awami League, to be a terrorist organization and ban all its activities. Hefazat wants the interim government to prohibit any AL participation in politics and ensure trials and punishment for its top leaders’ “misdeeds”
Stricter blasphemy laws: Enact and enforce the harshest legal penalties for anyone who insults Allah or the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The group vehemently rejects a recent Media Reform Commission’s recommendation to abolish or dilute legal provisions that criminalize “hurtful remarks” against religion, calling for those blasphemy laws to remain in full effect.
Punishment for anti-Islam provocateurs: Revoke the bail of Chinmoy Das – a man accused of inciting the murder of an Islamist activist in Chattogram – and subject him to an exemplary trial as a deterrent. Additionally, drop all “false cases” that were filed under the previous government against Islamic scholars, madrasa students, and youths, and instead prosecute those officials who, under the pretext of anti-militancy, tortured or harassed Islamist activists during the prior regime.
Oppose foreign oppression of Muslims: Take a stronger stance in foreign policy to defend Muslims worldwide. In particular, officially condemn and protest against Israel’s military actions in Gaza and the persecution of Muslims in India. Hefazat urged the Bangladesh government to encourage citizens to boycott Israeli and Indian products in response, as a form of solidarity with affected Muslim communities.
Mandatory Islamic education: Make Islamic religious education compulsory at all levels of schooling across Bangladesh (a nation that is about 90% Muslim). The group insists that a proper Islamic education for all students is necessary to uphold moral values and national identity.
Cancel the Rakhine humanitarian corridor: Reverse the interim government’s decision to provide a humanitarian corridor in southern Bangladesh for aid into Myanmar’s Rakhine State. Hefazat claims this proposed corridor (intended to assist the Rohingya or others) poses a “geographical security” threat to Bangladesh, and they want it cancelled outright.
Curtail missionary activities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT): Stop the activities of foreign Christian missionaries and NGOs in the CHT region. Hefazat demands increased military and state presence in these remote areas and support for Islamic scholars’ da’wah (religious outreach) efforts there, in order to foster social harmony and counter what they see as destabilizing foreign influence.
Protect Islamic identity – ban the Ahmadiyya sect: Officially declare the Ahmadiyya Muslim community (pejoratively called “Qadianis” by Hefazat) as non-Muslims and restrict their religious and public activities. This demand is aimed at “protecting” the country’s majority Sunni Muslim beliefs by curbing a minority sect that hardliners consider heretical.
Additional demands: (Various other points were also raised in Hefazat’s declaration, reinforcing their Islamist agenda, such as the call to completely remove pro-LGBT terminology from policies, as noted above, and general appeals to govern the country according to conservative Islamic values. These were woven into the points listed above and emphatically presented as non-negotiable.) [Note: All the above demands were articulated in Hefazat’s official 12-point declaration at the rally (jagonews24.com).
(The 12-point list was presented by Maulana Mahfuzul Haque at the rally, as reported by multiple sources (jagonews24.com). Hefazat leaders emphasized that these issues – from the women’s commission to blasphemy laws and the status of the Ahmadiyya community – are core to their movement’s objectives.)
Leaders’ Statements and Reactions
Throughout the rally, Hefazat-e-Islam leaders and their allies gave speeches underscoring their opposition to the Women’s Reform Commission and liberal social policies, often framing the issues as an existential fight for Islamic values in Bangladesh. Maulana Shah Muhibbullah Babunagari, the Ameer (chief) of Hefazat-e-Islam who presided over the event, condemned the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission’s report as “anti-Quranic” and accused “anti-Islamic groups” of pushing an agenda under its banner (dhakatribune.com). He vowed that no compromise would be made on matters governed by the Quran and Sunnah, demanding the report’s immediate cancellation (dhakatribune.com). Babunagari asserted that Hefazat “would not make any concessions” on issues of Islamic law and identity, directly rebuffing the commission’s calls for gender equality that conflict with traditional Sharia-based norms.
Despite his harsh stance against the reform proposals, Babunagari maintained that Hefazat supports women’s rights in a religiously appropriate way. He said the organization is “committed to ensuring women’s rightful rights and safety” – calling for stricter laws against practices like dowry and for better security for women in educational institutions and workplaces. In other words, Hefazat claims to champion women’s welfare, but strictly within the confines of Islamic law and Bangladeshi cultural tradition, rather than through what they view as “Western” ideas of gender equality (dhakatribune.com).
Babunagari also addressed the issue of blasphemy and religious defamation in his speech. He denounced a recommendation by the country’s Media Reform Commission that had suggested removing legal punishments for “hurting religious sentiments,” calling it a “deep conspiracy” against Islam. “No one should have the right to hurt religious feelings, whether in the majority or minority community,” Babunagari said, stressing the importance of laws protecting religious sanctities. This mirrors Hefazat’s demand for tougher blasphemy laws; the group insists that offenses against Allah or the Prophet must be met with the strictest punishment.
Hefazat’s Joint Secretary General Mamunul Haque echoed these themes in his remarks. He blasted the Women’s Reform Commission as “controversial” and accused its members of espousing ideas “contrary to the core values of the Bangladeshi people”. According to Mamunul, the commission had effectively “insulted Islam in the name of women’s reform,” a provocation that Hefazat could not tolerate (dhakatribune.com). He warned that if needed, Hefazat’s followers “would return to the streets” to uphold the constitutional recognition of Allah and Islamic principles, implicitly threatening renewed mass protests or agitation to enforce their demands.
The rally’s messaging also targeted LGBTQ+ inclusion and secular ideals explicitly. Hefazat leaders alleged that the interim government was secretly advancing an “LGBT-friendly” agenda by using “ambiguous terms like ‘gender identity,’ ‘gender diversity,’ and ‘inclusive’” in policy discussions (dhakatribune.com). Speakers insisted they would not tolerate any attempt to recognize diverse gender identities or rights for sexual minorities, viewing such moves as part of a Western-backed erosion of Islamic values. In line with their demands, they called on the government to cease any initiatives around gender inclusivity or transgender rights, reiterating the point in their official declaration to “halt efforts to promote LGBT and transgender inclusion” in society. Hefazat’s leaders tied this issue to their broader call for reaffirming Islamic monotheism in the constitution and rejecting “pluralism” – essentially opposing Bangladesh’s return to a secular state ideology. They urged that the charter should once again explicitly state “complete faith in Almighty Allah” as a fundamental principle of the republic.
In addition to Hefazat’s own leaders, representatives from aligned groups voiced support at the rally. Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organizer for the conservative National Citizen Party (NCP) in the southern region, addressed the gathering and urged the interim government’s Chief Adviser to focus on “necessary reforms that protect women’s rights and dignity instead of unnecessary ones”. This was a swipe at the Women’s Reform Commission, implying that its gender equality proposals were unnecessary or misguided. Hasnat Abdullah also issued a political warning, stating that any attempt to rehabilitate the ousted Awami League would “not be accepted,” and that the party should not be allowed to return to power in Bangladesh “over the blood of martyrs.”. This rhetoric aligned with Hefazat’s demand to ban the Awami League, which they blame for past abuses.
Another notable figure, Mahmudur Rahman – editor of the opposition-leaning newspaper Daily Amar Desh – spoke in solidarity with Hefazat’s cause. Rahman criticized the interim government for creating multiple reform commissions (on media, women’s affairs, etc.), calling these bodies unnecessary and a waste of state resources. He urged the government to cancel all such commissions immediately. At the same time, Mahmudur Rahman appealed to Hefazat-e-Islam not to fixate solely on “feminism” issues, reminding the crowd of what he described as their larger struggle against “Indian imperialism” and for the dominance of Islam in Bangladesh. This comment highlights that some allies view the anti-feminist campaign as part of a broader nationalist and religious movement, one that also involves resisting external influence from neighboring India (a common theme in Hefazat and similar groups’ rhetoric).
Azizul Haque Islamabadi, Hefazat’s Joint Secretary General, read out a statement from Ameer Babunagari during the program. In that statement (which Babunagari presumably endorsed), Hefazat praised the Islamist-led uprising of August 5, 2024 that toppled Sheikh Hasina’s government, calling it the restoration of “lost freedom” achieved at great sacrifice. The statement urged unity against an “aggressive India” and warned of “imperialist geopolitical schemes” threatening Bangladesh. Islamabadi reiterated the rally’s core message by cautioning the interim government against any decisions that go “against Islamic principles,” such as the women’s reform proposals. He also reinforced Hefazat’s social demands by calling for strict laws to end the dowry system, ensure women’s safety in schools and workplaces, and to retain the legal provisions punishing insults to religion in the Penal Code and cyber law. Furthermore, Islamabadi advocated for harsher penalties for anyone found guilty of blaspheming Allah or the Prophet, underlining the same points made by other Hefazat leaders.
The rally concluded with prayers led by Babunagari, and a resounding message of “no compromise” on the part of Hefazat-e-Islam regarding these 12 demands. All speakers – including Hefazat’s Nayeb-e-Amirs (deputy chiefs) and its allies – emphasized a united stand against what they termed anti-Islamic policies and moral threats facing the country. By the end of the program, Hefazat leaders had made it clear that if the interim government does not heed their demands (from scrapping the Women’s Reform Commission report to banning the Awami League and halting any pro-LGBT initiatives), the group is prepared to escalate its movement with nationwide demonstrations (set for May 23) and other actions in the coming weeks.
Sources:
Dhaka Tribune – “Hefazat rejects women’s reform report, plans nationwide protest” (03 May 2025) dhakatribune.com
Jago News 24 – “Hefazat’s 12-point demand feature banning AL, Qadianis” (Staff Reporter, 03 May 2025) jagonews24.com
Associated Press – “Thousands of Islamists rally in Bangladesh against proposed changes to women’s rights” (Dhaka, 03 May 2025) apnews.com
Human Rights Watch – “Bangladeshi Women’s Rights Opposed by Hardline Religious Groups” (05 May 2025) hrw.org
- Video footage aired on Desh TV (May 3, 2025) shows public statements made against the LGBT community at the Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh rally. Watch the video here.