Question:
We are five sisters and no brothers. The property is in my father’s name, and he made this wealth himself. If my father dies, will my cousins inherit any share of his property?
Answer:
In Bangladesh, inheritance laws follow either Muslim Personal Law (if the deceased is Muslim) or Hindu Succession Act (if the deceased is Hindu). Based on your situation, the inheritance rights are explained as follows:
1. Inheritance Among the Sisters:
- If your father dies, the property that is in his name, which he earned and made himself, will be inherited primarily by his legal heirs. Since you mentioned that there are five sisters and no brothers, the inheritance would be shared among the five sisters.
- In Islamic law, if the father passes away and leaves behind only daughters (with no sons), the daughters will inherit the father’s property. The share of inheritance will be two-thirds of the total property, divided equally among the daughters. This is under the rule of sharīʿah inheritance.
- Under Hindu law, the property would be divided equally among the daughters, and the father’s self-acquired wealth is shared among the heirs, which in this case, would be the five sisters.
2. Will the Cousins Get a Share?
- No, your cousins (i.e., your father’s brothers’ or sisters’ children) will not inherit your father’s property directly under the laws of inheritance in Bangladesh. Only the direct heirs (the daughters and wife, if applicable) are entitled to a share of the property.
- However, if the property was inherited from a grandfather or other relatives in your father’s line, the cousins may inherit from the grandfather’s wealth, but not from the property your father made himself.