Discrimination of Hindu Women in Bangladesh within the Legal Framework United Nations General ASsembly Human Rights Council Forum on Minority _Issues Forth Session Geneva, 29-30 November 2011 Dr. Chitta Ranjan .Das This article presents a brief discussion on particular personal law relating to Hindu women in Bangladesh. Comparative reference is made to the law applicable to Indian Hindu women. The article shows that the laws enacted during the colonial period are still applicable to the Hindus of Bangladesh and were never revised in the post independence. period while at the same time comparing the reforms made in India. It also tells that in Bangladesh matiers such as, divorce, marriage, maintenance, custody, adoption and so forth are governed by Muslim law for Muslims and by Hindu law for Hindus. The same rule applies in the case of other religions because there is no uniform family or personal law. Because of the lack of "uniform family code" there is a chance of discrimination between Muslims and Hindus in Bangladesh and in reality we observe this discrimination affects Hindu women in their socio-economic life. In fact. Hindu Women in BangladeSh suffer due to the presence of ancient shastric law and the absence df "uniform family code".Practically there is a long time demand for the -introduction of a "uniform family code" which may be applicable to all communities of Bangladesh irrespective. of religion. The reasons behind the non-introduction of such a Code may be the probable negative impact on Muslim religious sentiment, the possibility of loosing the vote bank and strong opposition from the religion based political parties and have restrained any Govt. to pursue the adoption of such a law. In this. regard it has to be mentioned that the situation of Muslim.women in Bangladesh is widely discussed while at the same time the circumstances of Hindu women in Bangladesh are not subjected to the same amount of scrutiny. This article tries to critique the Hindu law as it is applied in Bangladesh while at the same time comparing the reforms effected in India. Ancient Hindu law does not-allow dissolution of marriage however painful cohabitation may be. However, in some communities divorce is allowed. by custom and the courts enforced such custom provided they fulfilled the requisites of a valid custom (Saukaralingam Vs Subban I 894.1LRI7Mad..479). So practically divorce is unknown to Hindu laW. Change of religion or loss of caste or the adultery of either party or the fact of wife .deserting her husband and becoming a prostitute does not operate as dissolution of marriage . Polygamy: in Bangladesh a Hindu male may marry any number of wives though-he has a wife or wives living. But only one husband at a time is allowed under, the Bangladeshi Hindu law for Hindu women. So polygamy is permitted for Hindu men while polyandry is prohibited. Proof of marriage: In Bangladesh Hindu marriages are solemnized merely through some religious rituals. There is no marriage registration system for Hindu people in Bangladesh.