Bangladesh Court Says Women Can't Be Forced to Cover Up

A Bangladesh court has ruled that Muslim women working at schools and colleges cannot be forced to wear a veil."If any person tries to compel a woman to wear a veil against her consent ... that would amount to a violation of her fundamental rights as enshrined in the Constitution," the High Court said following Thursday's ruling."The verdict came in response to a petition seeking a directive following a report that an education officer in northern district had insulted a female teacher for not being veiled, court officials told reporters.While most people dress conservatively in overwhelmingly Muslim Bangladesh, a veil or all-encompassing burqa is a rare sight, although orthodox preachers and radical patriarchs often try to enforce it in some remote areas.Wearing a veil -- or even a headscarf -- has become a political issue in Muslim-majority countries such as Turkey and Indonesia, and even in European nations such as France