Demand women’s organisations, raise voice against Hefajat demands
Women of all strata at a protest rally yesterday vowed to resist every ill-attempt of fundamentalists and communal forces to impede women empowerment and contain their progress and rights.
The rally was jointly organised by different social, cultural and non-government organisations in front of the national press club in the capital demanding “Non-communal, democratic and gender-equal Bangladesh”.
Several thousand women attended the rally.
The speakers of the gathering said Hefajat-e Islam through its 13-point demand wanted to keep women confined and curb their rights to push the country back to the medieval age.
Eminent rights activist Sultana Kamal urged all women to build strong resistance from their own grounds against communalism and fundamentalism.
She said women had made outstandingly contribution to the country’s economic, social and political progress. She urged the government to amend the provisions in the constitution that are against women’s rights.
Charing the rally, women leader Ayesha Khanom asked all political parties, especially the main opposition BNP, not to patronise anti-liberation forces and fanatics to secure political gain.
Social activist Khushi Kabir said, “Together, we will have to fight against communal forces in every house, workplace and anywhere they [fundamentalists] would try to retard women development.”
Prosecutor of International Crimes Tribunal Tureen Afroz said the evil force confusing people by misinterpreting Islam should be resisted.
In a declaration, the women leaders placed a 10-point demand that includes taking legal action against those who want to curb women rights, implementation of all national and international charters for women development, restoration of the constitution of 1972, arrangements for compensation and rehabilitation to all victim garment workers and their families, including those of Rana Plaza collapse, and ensuring security to indigenous and religious minorities.
Women leaders Momtaz Begum, Shirin Akhter and Rokeya Kabir, Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, Shaheed Jaya Shyamoli Nasrin Chowdhury, Gonojagoron Mancha spokesperson Imran H Sarker, among others, spoke at the rally yesterday.
Source: The Daily Staar
Daily Star is playing the government’s role. Like all other media outlets, Daily Star is singing the Awami Song. They all manipulate photos and videos to make the points. Too Smart?
“Non-communal, democratic and gender-equal Bangladesh”? We already have all that and more. What are all these loud-mouth women are barking about? Ask Hasina, and she will confirm all these. Show me one country in the world where you have the Speaker of the Parliament, the Prime Minister, the Defense Minister, the Foreign Minister and, at one time, the Home Minister – all women. May be these women are badly missing the share of the pie.So, I say, keep barking, may be a piece will come your way too.
Thanks Mr. Sadruddin Hossain but fact is most women joining in chorus with a few very clever and wily women ‘netris’ without knowledge of their clandestine schemes. Just as the tailless fox, they are also playing the same role and the gullible women are unwittingly singing chorus with them. I’m sure when they’ll understand the real intention of those women ‘netris’ they’ll surely turn back. But may be it will be too late then. We’ve already seen how in the name of women’s emancipation young girls have been trafficked to foreign lands to become call girls or prostitutes. Even in this capital reports are not infrequent that there are so many ‘bee-hives’ where young women and girls have been rounded up by the law & order forces for immoral trafficking. What a show of women’s lib! Couldn’t the ‘nari netris’ do something fruitful and better for the poor and helpless women who stand in utter need of both vocation and vacation? Of course they could; but then their own coterie interest won’t be served.