When the Democratic Party came into power in early 2021 after the last US elections, feminists and human rights activists all around the world followed the countdown till the very last minutes, anticipating what changes could occur next. Not surprisingly, very early on in his role as President, Biden rescinded the "Global Gag Rule" – a devastating anti-abortion policy that undermined the health and rights of women around the world. The rule had denied funding for foreign organisations and NGOS/INGOs providing abortion information or services. It also meant that development organisations using funding from USAID would no longer be able to carry out abortion-related work, even with funding from other donors, if they wanted to continue receiving funding from the US. The withdrawal of the Global Gag Rule was a light of hope for civil society organisations around the world.

In 2021 alone, the United States provided over USD 96 million to support the Covid response in Bangladesh. While the US has helped fund "public health" in Bangladesh for the last five decades, abortion rights have not fallen under this. And now the overturning of Roe v Wade has taken us backwards, not just in the US but around the world, and curtailed the progress that had been made on women's rights and abortion access globally.

You might think the overturning of Roe v Wade has not made much difference in the context of Bangladesh, but a deep dive into the matter tells us differently. At a recent round-table, Marcia Soumokil, the Indonesia country director at Ipas, an international NGO that works to increase access to safe abortions and contraception, said, "The overturning of Roe v Wade could affect broader legislation across the world as well. When access to abortion is severely restricted in the US, it will send signals to the rest of the world governments, in Indonesia and other countries, that abortion rights are not part of human rights."

"Conservative factions in society and government will interpret this change as a declaration that government does not oblige to protect abortion rights," she added. And so, in the current situation, not only will funding opportunities for abortion rights from the US become a diminishing possibility, stigma and barriers to safe abortion access will also be aggravated worldwide.

Under Bangladesh's penal code of 1860, induced abortion is illegal except to save a woman' life. Menstrual regulation (MR), however, has been part of Bangladesh's national family planning program since 1979. Despite the availability of MR services, many women resort to underground (and unsafe) abortions because of stigma and lack of availability of information/resources. According to the Center for Health and Population Research at ICDDR,B, the incidence of abortion was 35 times higher for unmarried women in Bangladesh than for married adolescents. Additionally, there is a huge data gap, especially with regard to younger women getting abortions, so how big a problem access to safe abortion is remains largely underrepresented.

In 2020, a high court ruling asked why the abortion related sections in the Penal Code of Bangladesh should not be declared void as it is contradictory with the fundamental rights guaranteed in Bangladesh's Constitution. At present, if rape victims become pregnant, they are unable to abort the unwanted foetus, and since 2020, things have not moved in this regard.

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Although we tend to focus on the positives, like our achievements in bringing down fertility rates and maternal mortality, the fact remains that due to a number of circumstances, women will get abortions. And unsafe routes to abortion results in several complex problems, including endangering the life of both the woman and the child, suicide, and negative impacts on mental health.

Needless to say, marginalised groups such as young women, rural women, women with disabilities and queer people are doubly and triply affected by such issues. To say that Roe v Wade does not affect us is simply untrue. Asking "if we have the option of MR, why do we need abortion rights?" may help us escape from reality for a while, but it will not help strengthen the fight for reproductive health and justice in the long run. We must fight head on – socially, legally and individually to get past the stigma and oppression that limit women's bodily autonomy, agency and rights, and we must hold decision-makers accountable. As feminists and activists, we should bring back the movement of "My body, my rights," and use data-driven advocacy to do so.

Syeda Samara Mortada is a feminist activist, working as a Coordinator in Bonhishkha, an organisation working to remove gender-based stereotypes.

The High Court today wanted to know the government's decision about the old trees at the capital's Suhrawardy Udyan, a historical place related to the republic's Liberation War.

The court sought for the resolution of a meeting organised by the liberation war affairs ministry on this issue on June 24 with its Minister AKM Mozammel Haque in the chair.

The HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice SM Maniruzzaman asked Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Samarendra Nath Biswas to collect the resolution from the ministry and to submit it to this court in two weeks.

The bench passed the order during hearing on a writ petition filed to seek its directive upon the government not to cut trees and damage the environment and characteristics of Suhrawardy Udyan.

It fixed July 15 for further hearing on the petition.

DAG Samarendra Nath Biswas told the HC that the government has suspended the process of cutting trees at Suhrawardy Udyan.

Liberation Minister AKM Mozammel Haque held a meeting on June 24 on this issue, but the resolution of the meeting was yet to be finalised, he said, adding that he will submit the resolution to the court once he receives it.

Lawyer Syeda Rizwana Hasan appeared for the writ petitioners during the virtual hearing of the petition today.

Read More: Tree-felling at Suhrawardy Udyan: HC hopes problems will be resolved through discussion

The High Court today (July 19, 2022) directed the trustee board formed under the Road Transport Act, 2018, to give Tk 5 lakh – in 15 days – for the baby born during a road accident on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway on July 16.

In response to a writ petition, the court also ordered the social welfare secretary to form a committee in order to take care of the child.

The committee has been asked to submit a report on the steps to be taken for the baby's welfare in three months.

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A tragic miracle: Woman gives birth before breathing her last in road accident

The court also said the treatment of the baby girl must be continued.

The bench of Justice Khizir Ahmed Choudhury and Justice Md Zakir Hossain delivered the directive following a writ petition that sought its directive on the government to pay compensation for and ensure wellbeing of the baby.

In the accident, the newborn's father Jahangir Alam (42), mother Ratna Akter (26) and elder sister Jannat Ara died near court building area in Trishal upazila of Mymensingh.

Ratna gave birth to the baby on July 16 before succumbing to her injuries after a truck ran her over while she was crossing a road. The newborn, however, survived miraculously.

Yesterday, Kaniz Fatima Tunazzia, a lawyer, submitted the petition as a public interest litigation requesting the HC to order the government for compensating the victim.

The Supreme Court today upheld a notice issued by the Dhaka University's Bangla department asking its students to keep their faces, including their ears, uncovered during exams and presentations.

The Appellate Division of the SC stayed a High Court order that halted the effectiveness of the notice issued by the department on December 11 last year.

The apex court, however, asked the HC to hear and dispose of the rule in two months. The rule ordered the authorities concerned to explain why the department's decision should not be declared illegal.

A full bench of the Appellate Division headed by Justice Md Nuruzzaman passed the order following a leave to appeal petition filed by the Bangla department challenging the HC order.

Writ petitioners' lawyer Faizullah Faiz told The Daily Star that following the apex court's order, the students under the department can be identified during exams.

Attorney General AM Amin Uddin appeared for DU Bangla department while lawyer Belayet Hossain argued for the writ petitioners during the hearing today.

Responding to a writ petition filed by three students of the department, the HC on March 28 stayed for six months the effectiveness of the notice and also issued a rule asking authorities concerned to explain why the department's decision should not be declared illegal.