Sharia rule creeps into Bangladesh: Central bank’s veil directive sparks alarm |
Just days after Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim (popularly known as Mufti Fauzul Karim), the influential pir of Chormonai and head of the ultra-Islamist group Islami Shashontontro Andolon (Islamic Constitutional Movement), made a chilling proclamation calling for the replacement of democracy in Bangladesh with Sharia-based Taliban-style rule, the nation is witnessing alarming institutional developments that align with this radical agenda. While this shocking statement should have drawn national and international condemnation, it instead appears to have emboldened Islamist forces within the administration, particularly under the shadow leadership of Muhammad Yunus.
On July 21, 2025, the Human Resources Department of Bangladesh Bank, the country’s central financial authority, issued a formal directive mandating specific Islamic dress codes for its employees, particularly women. The new rules require female staff members to wear sarees or salwar-kameez, cover their heads with scarves or hijab, and avoid short-sleeved or short-length clothing, leggings, or any form of Western attire. Although not mandatory in wording, the circular “encourages” women to wear the burqa – an unmistakable push toward enforcing religious attire.
For male employees, the instructions discourage wearing jeans or gabardine trousers and recommend only formal shirts (long or half-sleeved) with appropriate formal footwear.
In an interview with Prothom Alo, Bangladesh Bank Executive Director and Spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan attempted to downplay the imposition, saying:
“Each batch brings in 200–250 new recruits, many straight out of university. Some still behave as though they’re on campus. After observing this for some time, a dress code was........