Recently, BJP legislator Agnimitra Paul claimed that a fatwa was issued in Gopalganj’s Gawhardanga, Bangladesh, prohibiting women from visiting markets. On December 5, she posted a video making this claim on her Facebook page (link) and X account (link), both of which included similar content. Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen, currently living in exile in India, also made the same claim in a Facebook video posted on December 3.
Upon examining the video, a segment can be heard stating, “This is not just a regular fair; this is a religious gathering, a religious environment. We are here to earn blessings and rewards. Yes, we will benefit in worldly terms, engage in trade, and conduct halal business, but we must avoid any sinful activities.”
Later, the same video was widely broadcast across multiple Indian media outlets.
Indian media coverage of this issue can be found on AajTak Bangla (YouTube), Republic Bangla (YouTube), TV9 Bangla (YouTube), Zee 24 Ghanta (YouTube), Calcutta News (YouTube), R Plus (YouTube), and NewsX (Archive).
On Republic Bangla, Kolkata-based researcher Moumita Chakraborty also criticized the claim. Watch her comments in this video.
The claim has also gained significant traction on X, as observed by Rumor Scanner. Examples of posts are available here (Archive), here (Archive), and here (Archive).
Fact Check
Rumor Scanner’s investigation reveals that the claim regarding a fatwa issued in Gopalganj’s Gawhardanga, prohibiting women from visiting markets, is incorrect. Instead, the claim originates from a video of a public announcement at the 89th annual gathering of Gawhardanga Madrasa regarding temporary market arrangements for women.
Every year, such practices are observed at this gathering. The original video (link) related to the announcement was published on November 27 on the official Facebook page of ‘Gawhardanga Madrasa,’ titled ‘Special Announcement for Shopkeepers at the 89th Annual Gathering.’
In the video, an announcement can be heard stating:
“No women will enter this area. We, the shopkeepers, will not sell anything to women from tomorrow. No animals will be sold either. We will ensure this remains a religious environment, a religious gathering—not just an ordinary fair where animals and birds are sold, gambling occurs, and other sinful activities take place. This is a preparation for our afterlife, an event to build our afterlife. Therefore, in this market area during the gathering, gambling or any related games are strictly prohibited. If any such groups are found, we will shut them down or hand them over to the volunteers.
Attention, shopkeepers: Starting tomorrow, all shops must arrange for curtains to ensure privacy. These curtains should be lowered during prayer times, and all trade must cease during prayers.”
The announcement also mentioned:
“From tomorrow, no woman will enter this market area. If any woman comes, we will politely ask her to leave and will not sell anything to her. We will all be vigilant to ensure that this gathering remains a purely religious environment. It is not just any fair where various types of sinful activities take place. This is a religious gathering, and we are here to earn blessings and rewards. Yes, we will benefit in worldly terms, trade, and conduct halal business, but we must not engage in sinful activities. Attention shopkeepers: From tomorrow, curtains must be placed in front of every shop…”
Upon analyzing the video, it appears that the instructions were given from a religious perspective, addressing shopkeepers of temporary stalls set up for the event, advising them not to sell to women and to discourage women from visiting the stalls at the religious gathering.
Additionally, the shopkeepers were instructed not to sell livestock/Pets and to ensure no gambling activities took place. However, the video contains no announcement about issuing a fatwa or prohibiting women from visiting markets in Bangladesh.
On December 5, the aforementioned Facebook page (link) posted a video report discussing the claims circulated in Indian media. The caption stated:
‘Indian TV channels have misreported a previous announcement from the 89th Annual Gathering of Gawhardanga Madrasa. The complete original video is available in the comments section.” The video in the comments is indeed the one originally posted on November 27.
Additionally, on December 8, the same Facebook page shared a Jamuna TV report (link) alongside a statement by Mufti Usama Amin, Deputy Principal of Gawhardanga Madrasa in Tungipara, Gopalganj, refuting the Indian media’s claims.
The statement read:
“On November 27, 28, and 29, 2024, the 89th Annual Gathering of the traditional Gawhardanga Madrasa in southern Bangladesh was held. This historic event attracts millions of devout attendees every year. For generations, this gathering has been a cherished tradition, providing spiritual inspiration and religious nourishment for the year ahead to the Muslim community. To facilitate participation for Muslim women, the event authorities arrange separate routes for their commute and a dedicated seating area for them to listen to speeches.”
The statement also clarified:
“To ensure safety and order during the event, several decisions are made in consultation with the event authorities and local community. One significant rule is that women are restricted from entering the temporary stalls in the men’s area for the three days of the gathering, solely for their safety. Volunteers announce this rule through loudspeakers around the temporary stalls. However, certain segments of this video have been used by some Indian news channels and a few individuals with distorted perspectives to spread false propaganda, claiming that fundamentalists in Bangladesh have issued a fatwa prohibiting women from entering local markets.”
The statement further stated:
“In reality, the video clearly shows this is not a market but a collection of temporary stalls. The announcement in the video explicitly mentions that the rule applies only for three days, which is still visible on social media.
If anyone compares our video to their propaganda, they will find the claim absurd and laughable.”
In its related report (Facebook Video), Jamuna TV, citing madrasa authorities, noted that such announcements are made every year during the gathering. The report also highlighted that women face no restrictions in local markets. A Hindu woman was heard saying she encountered no issues visiting the market.
Rumor Scanner also spoke with madrasa authorities, who confirmed that the claims circulated in Indian media are false.
Conclusion
The claim that a fatwa was issued in Bangladesh prohibiting women from visiting markets is misleading. The announcement at the Gawhardanga Madrasa gathering was specific to temporary stalls set up for the event and aimed at maintaining the gathering’s religious decorum. It was falsely portrayed as a general restriction.
Sources
- Gawhardanga Madrasa: Facebook Video
- Gawhardanga Madrasa: Facebook Video
- Gawhardanga Madrasa: Facebook Video & Statement
- Rumor Scanner’s Own Analysis
