Tajikistan Passes Bill To Ban Hijab & Children's Celebrations During Eid

Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon termed the hijab as "an alien garment" and gave his assent to pass the bill that banned the Arabic veil.

Tajikistan, a Muslim-majority central Asian country neigbouring Afghanistan, imposed a ban on hijab for women after the parliament's upper house, Majlisi Milli, passed a law prohibiting the "alien garments" on June 19. Besides hijab, the bill also imposed a ban on the custom of 'Idi', a custom where in children seek money from their elders during Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon termed hijab as "an alien garment" and gave his assent to the bill, regulating and prohibiting the Arabic veil, reported news agency AKIpress.

Earlier this year, the bill was passed on May 8 by the Majlisi Namoyandagon, the lower chamaber, primarily focusing on banning traditional Islamic clothing including the Hijab.

Punishment For Offenders

As per the new law, those who fail to abide might have to pay hefty fines ranging from eight thousand to 65 thousand somoni, equivalent to Rs 60,560 and Rs 5 lakh.

Meanwhile, the Government officials and religious authorities, who fail to abide by the new laws, will face much higher fines of Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, respectively, reported the Tajik agency Asia-Plus News.

President Emomali Rahmon also signed laws prohibiting "overspending" and the custom of Idi during Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, and Nowruz festivals, the report stated.

Shedding light on the reason behind banning Idi, Sulaiman Dvlatzoda, head of the Religious Committee, told Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, Radio Ozodi, that the ban was aimed at ensuring "proper education and safety during Ramadan and Eid al-Adha".

The move is aimed to protest the ancestral and national culture, Tajik President's press release stated.

The development comes a year after hijab was unofficially banned in Tajikistan, when the President called it a "foreign clothing" during an address in March.

In March this year, Tajikistan President said: "Xenophobia in clothing, i.e. wearing foreign clothes with fake names and hijab, is another pressing issue for our society."

The crackdown on hijab by Tajikistan began in 2007 when the Education ministry prohibited both western-style miniskirts as well as Islamic attire for students.

Several Muslim-majority countries, including Azerbaijan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan have banned hijab and the burqa in public schools and universities or for government officials.