Dozens were injured Thursday as thousands of Muslims clashed with police in the Bangladesh capital over the emergency government's bid to ensure equal rights for women, police and activists said. The roads in front of Dhaka's main mosque became a battleground as more than 3,000 Muslim activists hurled bricks “like heavy rainfall” at police, who responded by using batons, deputy police commissioner Mazharul Islam said. The clashes began after the supporters of several Islamic parties tried to take a procession from the Baitul Mokarram National Mosque toward the head of the government's office, he added. Witnesses said police stopped them in front of the mosque, prompting the activists to retaliate with bricks and stones from inside the mosque complex. Protests are banned under emergency laws in Bangladesh. At least 20 policemen were injured in the attack, Islam said. Witnesses said dozens of activists were also injured as police entered the mosque complex to baton-charge the protesters.The activists torched two police motorcycles, smashed dozens of car windows and halted traffic on the busiest roads of the capital for hours, police said. The groups were protesting a women's development policy adopted in March by the government, which came to power in Jan. 2007 following political unrest. The policy advocates, among other issues, equal property rights for women. Bangladeshi Muslim clerics and parties have warned of nationwide demonstrations, saying they will not tolerate any laws that contradict Shariah, or Islamic law code Soon after it announced its policy, the government backed down, saying it is not a law and it does not have any plan to enact any law “that goes against the Qur'an and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him.” Shariah practised in Bangladesh's inheritance law generally stipulates that a girl inherits half of what her brother gets. Women's groups have long protested against the disparity and demanded equal rights. __
