Jamaat Warns of Stronger Movement if Property Transfer Law Is Not Withdrawn

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has demanded the withdrawal of the Property Transfer Law passed in Parliament on September 6, calling it a “law against the Quran and Sunnah.” The party’s Secretary General, Mia Golam Parwar, said the movement would be intensified if the law is not withdrawn. He also demanded that the government review the law after taking the views of the country’s ulema and Islamic-minded people, saying the demand is not limited to Jamaat-e-Islami alone.

Mia Golam Parwar made the remarks at a protest rally organised by the Dhaka city unit of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami in protest against the passage of the Quran- and Sunnah-contradicting Property Transfer (Amendment) Act 2026 in Parliament. After the rally at the North Gate of the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram yesterday, the party brought out a procession. The procession ended at the Kakrail intersection.

The Transfer of Property (Amendment) Bill, 1882, was passed by Parliament last Sunday with a provision allowing a donor to continue enjoying donated property as long as the donor remains alive. Jamaat-e-Islami and members of other opposition parties opposed the bill in Parliament, calling it contrary to the Quran and Sunnah. They alleged that the law creates an opportunity to bypass Islamic rules in the name of resolving social problems and could undermine the rights of rightful heirs.

According to the bill, after parents or grandparents donate property to their children or grandchildren, or vice versa, or between a husband and wife, the donor can continue to enjoy the property during their lifetime. If the recipient dies during the donor’s lifetime, the right to enjoy the property will remain, and the property will be transferred to the recipient’s heirs in accordance with the law.

However, Law Minister Md. Asaduzzaman had said at the time that the provisions of the new law would not affect hiba or any other method of transferring property under Muslim law. The bill was later passed by voice vote after the objections raised by opposition members were rejected. At the rally, Mia Golam Parwar said the government had taken a position that directly conflicts with the provisions of the Quran and Sunnah by amending the Property Transfer Law.

He said the rules governing inheritance and distribution of property have been prescribed by Allah. Therefore, the opinions of prominent ulema and Islamic scholars in the country should be sought before introducing such laws. He called for the law to be examined by domestic and international Islamic experts, including the Fatwa Board of the Islamic Foundation.

The Jamaat leader also criticised the government’s arguments in support of the Property Transfer Law. He said Islamic rules cannot be changed while trying to address social problems such as parents being forced out of their children’s homes. Referring to the law enacted in 2013 concerning the maintenance and rights of parents, he said parents’ rights could be protected if that law were strictly enforced.

Mia Golam Parwar said the BNP had promised before the election that no law contrary to the Quran and Sunnah would be enacted if it came to power. However, he alleged that the government is now acting against that commitment. Criticising the Law Minister’s remarks, Mia Golam Parwar called on him to apologise to the nation. He also protested against statements suggesting that Islamic law and Islamic banking are outdated in the modern era.