150 people injured in clash in Dhaka

Dhaka, Apr 11 (UNI) At least 150 people, including policemen and journalists, were injured here today during a violent clash between the police and Islamic activists protesting the government's National Women Development Policy that allegedly proposed equal rights for women in their parent's property.

In accordance with the Islamic inheritance law, a son will get double share than a daughter in their father's property. But the new policy proposed equal share to son and daughter in their father's property, which the protestors said was against Islam and Quranic law.

Witnesses said hundreds of helmeted police used batons and barrage of teargas shells to disperse several hundred Islamic activists who staged demonstration after the Friday prayer outside the National Baitul Mukarram mosque in central Dhaka in this redominatly Muslim country.

The clash that continued for more than two hours disrupted traffic movement in some parts of the city.

The protestors demanded resignation of Women and Children Affairs Advisor of the caretaker government Rasheda K Chowdhury for preparing the National Women Development Policy that allegedly denied the Islamic inheritance law.

The government however assured the Islamic scholars and parties that it has no plan to make law against Islam.

The protest, on its second day today, was joined by half-a-dozen Islamic outfits.

The witnesses said Islamic activists holding banners brought out procession from the Mosque defying the state of emergency. As the police intercepted the procession, some protestors pelted brickbats, which led to the clash.

The police and protestors chased and counter-chased during clash.

Many were seen taking shelter inside the Mosque while some burned carpets to get rid of pungent smoke of the teargas shells.

UNI XC SLD BST0424