The Waqf (amendment) Bill aims to reform and streamline the process of applying for and registering Waqf properties through a centralised portal. It also aims to change the name of the present day Waqf Act of 1995 as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act. Being one of the first major changes brought by the new government, it has created quite the stir among muslim organisations and opposition parties alike. With the Bill being currently tabled in the parliament, here is everything you need to know about the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024. What is Waqf? Waqf refers to…
Author: ananyasharma
Sheikh Hasina has recently faced the biggest uprising in the 15 years she has held the post of Prime Minister. It has been estimated that over 300 people have lost their lives in the civil unrest which has been ongoing since the latter half of last month. What led to this deadly unrest? The protests began as an agitation against an unjust quota system which reserves 30 percent of all government job seats for the family members of those who fought in the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war. The protestors claim that this system unjustly favours the ruling party, Awami League,…
The Middle East finds itself yet again in a precarious position with Iran and Israel likely to engage in a confrontation following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. The United States also seems to be rebuilding its presence in the area foreseeing the conflict that is about to unfold. Background According to Gaza health officials, at least 40000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel-led attacks in the Gaza strip. This series of offences by Israel began after a Hamas-led attack on Southern Israel on 7th October 2023. In April of 2024, Iran fired hundreds of missiles and…
The reservation system employed throughout the country has faced criticisms from the upper castes and the lower castes alike. In the 74 years since the constitution has been conceived and the reservation policies have been implemented, the SC and ST quotas have never been amended to this degree. What is the policy change? In a historic judgment, the Supreme Court has approved of states being able to sub-classify Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and reframing how the quota system may work in the future. The sub-classification of this sort is only to be done on the basis of empirical data…
