THE 1997 Policy for the Advancement of Women, formulated in consultation with a large number of representatives of women's organisations, made some radical recommendations to ensure equality in personal rights, as well as to property, land, and at work, etc.

Unfortunately, it appears that it had not been given the official approval by the cabinet at the time, and subsequently it went through several metamorphoses. In 2004, many of its clauses were reversed with a view to limit equality to traditional boundaries of gender relations.

In 2008, the caretaker government made an attempt to revive the original with a few additional progressive entries, but it went into rapid reverse gear in the face of a reactionary response from the religious right, and agreed to take on board revisions recommended by a committee of imams, many of whom represented religion-based political parties.

When the 1997 policy had expected to move forward in the pursuit of justice and rule of law, the revisions to the 2008 policy suggested by the imams' review committee stipulated that all rights be "in accordance with the Qur'an and Sunnah" and that any contradictions be resolved by religious experts. The revisionists proposed "discouraging early marriage" to water down a deterrent law on early marriage.

In March 2008, as fiery, slogan shouting imams emerged from the Baitul Mukarram Mosque brandishing firearms in front of a sleepy and inactive police posse, their opposition was made explicit through violence. When the government buckled under, the 2008 Policy was buried.

Can we now take the Awami League's electoral manifesto promise of reviving the 1997 policy as a serious commitment to gender equality and justice, or was this no more than a sales pitch for women's votes?

For the full version of this article please read this month's Forum, available free with The Daily Star on Monday, May 4.

Dr. Hameeda Hossain is a women's right activist.