Information specific to the situation of Muslim women in Bangladesh's universities could not be found among the sources consulted by the DIRB. The following information, which deals with the general situation of women in universities, may, however, be of interest.

According to the attachments, female students, who make up one third of the student body at Dhaka University, have been agitating for the repeal of various university regulations that forbid female students from leaving their dormitories after sunset and require them to receive parental permission to stay out overnight (AP 19 Feb. 1995; ibid. 8 Feb. 1995; Middle East Times 5-11 Mar. 1995; AFP 19 Feb. 1995). Men are also discouraged from talking to women on campus (AP 8 Feb. 1995). According to Dhaka University vice-chancellor Imajuddin Ahmed, as reported in the Associated Press (AP) attachment of 19 February 1995, the university "does not differentiate students on the basis of sexes. Some rules are framed to provide moral protection to female students during their stay on the campus." According to the Associated Press (AP) report of 8 February 1995, "although many female students ignore the school's [Dhaka University] rules, it can fine or expel violators."

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence France Presse (AFP). 19 February 1995. "Dhaka University Women Students Strike for Freedom After 'Sunset'." (NEXIS)

The Associated Press (AP). 19 February 1995. "Women Students Strike." (Internet e-mail address: C-ap@clarinet.com)

_____. 8 February 1995. "Students Protest University." (Internet e-mail address: C-ap@clarinet.com)

Middle East Times [Cairo]. 5-11 March 1995. "Bangladeshi Women Denounce Death Penalty and Sunset Rules."

Attachments

Agence France Presse (AFP). 19 February 1995. "Dhaka University Women Students Strike for Freedom After 'Sunset'." (NEXIS)

The Associated Press (AP). 19 February 1995. "Women Students Strike." (Internet e-mail address: C-ap@clarinet.com)

_____. 8 February 1995. "Students Protest University." (Internet e-mail address: C-ap@clarinet.com)

Middle East Times [Cairo]. 5-11 March 1995. "Bangladeshi Women Denounce Death Penalty and Sunset Rules," p. 9.

Additional Sources Consulted

Amnesty International Report. Yearly. 1986 to 1994.

Asian Affairs: An American Review [New York]. Quarterly. 1991 to present.

Asian Survey [Berkeley, Ca.]. Monthly. 1989 to present.

Bangladesh: A Country Study. 1988.

Bangladesh and Pakistan: An Overview in Human Rights Perspectives. 23 January 1992. Dr. Elliot Tepper.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. Yearly. 1992, 1993, 1994.

Critique: Review of the Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. Yearly. 1986 to 1993.

Documentation, Information and Research Branch (DIRB), Immigration and Refugee Board, Ottawa. September 1994. Contextual Information Package: Bangladesh.

_____. September 1994. Human Rights Information Package: Bangladesh.

_____. December 1993. Women in Bangladesh.

DIRB "Amnesty International: Bangladesh" country file. 1991 to present.

DIRB country file. April 1993 to present.

DIRB Indexed Media Review [Ottawa]. Weekly. 1991 to June 1992, July 1994 to present.

The Economist [London]. Weekly. 1995.

Encyclopedia of the Third World. 1987, 1992.

Encyclopedia of Women's Associations Worldwide. 1993.

The Europa World Year Book. Yearly. 1989, 1992 1993, 1994.

Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER) [Hong Kong]. Weekly. 1995.

Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Daily Reports. 1995.

Freedom in the World: Political Rights and Civil Liberties. Yearly. 1988, 1993.

Human Rights in Developing Countries: A Yearbook on Human Rights in Countries Receiving Nordic Aid. Yearly. 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994.

Human Rights Watch Annual Report. Yearly. 1987, 1989.

Human Rights Watch World Report. Yearly. 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995.

Immigration and Refugee Board Documentation Centre (IRBDC) [Ottawa]. February 1991. Bangladesh: The Fall of President Ershad.

_____. June 1990. Bangladesh: Country Profile.

India Abroad [Toronto]. Weekly. 1995.

India Quarterly [New Delhi]. Quarterly. 1992 to present.

India Today [Delhi]. Fortnightly. 1995.

INS Resource Information Centre. November 1992. Information Packet Series: Bangladesh.

IWRAW: The Women's Watch [Minneapolis]. Monthly. 1993 to 1994.

IWRAW to CEDAW Country Reports. Yearly. 1993, 1994, 1995.

Journal of Asian and African Studies [Leiden]. Quarterly. 1992 to present.

Journal of Asian Studies [Milwaukee]. Quarterly. 1991 to present.

Journal of Contemporary Asia Quarterly [Manila]. Quarterly. 1991 to present.

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. Monthly. 1989 to present.

Modern Asian Studies [Cambridge]. Quarterly. 1992 to present.

News from Asia Watch.

ODR-Bulletin D'Information [Berne]. December 1990. "Bangladesh."

Ours by Right: Women's Rights as Human Rights. 1993.

Political Handbook of the World. Yearly. 1991, 1992, 1994-1995.

Price of Honor: Muslim Women Lift the Veil of Silence on the Islamic World. 1994. Jan Goodwin.

Refugees, Immigration and Asylum Section (RIAS), Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia. July 1994. Country Profile: Bangladesh.

Religion in Politics: A World Guide. 1989.

South Asian Bulletin [Albany]. Quarterly. 1991 to present.

WEP International News Bulletin [Rotterdam]. Quarterly. 1994 to present.

WIN News [Mass.]. Quarterly. Autumn 1993 to present.

Women and Islam. 1982. Azizah al-Hibri.

Women and Muslim Family Law. 1982. John L. Esposito.

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Women's Asia. 1989. Yayori Matsui.

Women's Commission News [New York]. Twice yearly. 1994 to present.

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Women's Movements of the World. 1988.

World Human Rights Guide. 1986, 1987, 1992.

World Monitor [Boston]. Monthly. 1992.

On-line search of media sources.

Oral sources.
Note on oral sources:

Oral sources are usually contacted when documentary sources have been exhausted. However, oral sources must agree to be quoted in a publicly available Response to Information Request. If they refuse, the Response will read "no information currently available." Contacting oral sources is also subject to time constraints; for example, there are periods of the year when academics are unavailable.