Dozens hurt as Bangladesh Islamists battle police
DHAKA (AFP) — Dozens were injured in the Bangladeshi capital Friday as police fired tear gas at thousands of Islamic activists protesting against the emergency government's bid to ensure equal rights for women, police said.
The roads in front of Dhaka's main mosque became a battleground as about 5,000 men armed with bamboo sticks and bricks clashed with police, who responded with tear gas and batons, deputy police commissioner Mazharul Islam said.
"They attacked the policemen with bricks and sticks immediately after the weekly Friday prayers. We shot tear gas shells and baton-charged the unruly activists," Islam said, adding that dozens were injured in the clashes.
Witnesses said at least 100-150 were injured including three photo-journalists as police let off scores of tear gas canisters, some inside the country's biggest mosque complex called Baitul Mukarram.
The activists belonging to the Committee to Resist Anti-Koran Laws, a coalition of Islamic parties, chased police with bamboo sticks and bricks, Islam said. Several policemen were among the casualties.
The protests were against a women's development policy adopted in March by the government advocating equal property rights for women.
Dozens were injured on Thursday when more than 3,000 members of Islamic parties lobbed bricks and stones at police.
They torched two police motorcycles, smashed dozens of car windows and halted traffic on the capital's main roads for hours, police said.
Muslim clerics and parties have warned of nationwide demonstrations saying they will not tolerate any laws that contradict sharia, or the Islamic legal code.
Soon after the new policy was announced, the government backed down, explaining it had not been passed into law. No legislation would be passed "that goes against the Koran and the traditions of Prophet Mohammed," the government said.
Bangladesh, whose population is 90 percent Muslim, has a secular legal system but in matters related to inheritance and marriage Muslims follow sharia.
This generally stipulates that a girl inherits half of what her brother gets. Women's groups have long protested against the disparity and demanded equal rights.
