Man morally obliged to support family
Bangladesh observed International Women’s Day on Friday with call for parity between men and women in family and social life. The organizers of the programme have not, however, defined what do they mean by the parity.
What we understand from their and their predecessors’ past statements that they mainly stress on equal distribution of the deceased’s property between males and females. To this issue, Advocate Elina Khan said on a private television channel in the midnight of Friday that the Muslim women inherit the property left by their parents, husbands and children on the basis of two females equaling one male, whereas the Hindu and the Buddhist women are totally deprived of such property.
In this connection, I would like to remind all that the Muslim women have no financial obligation for the family members. Allah says what a man earns, it is his; and what a woman earns, it is her. But man will bear all kinds of expenses a married woman needs to survive. I am, making it clear with the following example.
Say, a man has parents, wife, one son and two daughters, and he has Tk five lakh only in a bank. With his death, his each parent will get one-sixth, and spouse one-eighth; and from the remaining portion of the property, son will get twice of a daughter. After distribution, the implied responsibility of the son is to look after the well being of the rest of the family members. In contrast, his mother and sister have no financial obligation. They can, however, share if they wish.
This is why females get half of males. Now I am sure that the critics will realize the reason of difference.
Ameer Hamzah
Dhaka
