.“Let’s go to the fair/In the crowd of unruly boys/The girls don’t stand a chance/ Let’s go to the fair,” reads the lyrics from a Bangla song — ‘melai jai re’.
There are very few people who haven’t heard this song. Young revellers singing and dancing to this tune has become part and parcel of Baishakh celebrations in Bangladesh.
These lines are from probably one of the most popular songs for Baishakh among the youth. Does it indicate that teasing and tormenting women amid Baishakh gathering has been romanticised over the years? Or has it become a tool to mar the beauty of this longstanding Bengali culture?
People from different professions share their insights with Prothom Alo to find the answers.
Zia Rahman, chairman of criminology and criminal justice department of Dhaka University, said, “Not just in Pahela Baishakh celebrations, whenever there are public gatherings, predators find opportunities to harass women.”
He believes participation of women in Pahela Baishakh would not decrease despite last year’s incident. “Somewhere along the way we have reached a transition period of women’s position in the society. This chaotic situation is heading toward a massive change of societal structure,” said Zia Rahman.
For a number of women last year, Pahela Baishakh celebrations at TSC simply did not match the vibrant colour of their attires. They returned home with horrific memories of being molested in the open.
Despite the media firestorm following the incident, there is a little headway in the case.
Zia Rahman went on saying, “There is a mindset instilled in the majority’s mind that women are incapable of protecting themselves when they are sexually abused. This is why women fall prey to sexual violence in public gatherings as they are expected to suffer in silence.”
“However, there is another side of the coin. Nowadays not all women are shying away to be vocal when attacked. There are numerous women who choose to suffer in silence due to social stigma, true, but there are women who are fearless, vocal and prompt to fight back when attacked,” he added.
He pointed out that poor management of the Baishakh gathering at TSC paved the way for abusing women amid the crowd.
Salma Ali, executive director of Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers’ Association (BNWLA), thinks the sole reason of abuse of women in the Baishakh crowds is that they are treated as commodities.
She said, “Picture the ambience of a Baishakh fair. There is a galore of commodities offered to the visitors. For the sexual offenders, women at the fair are nothing but lifeless dolls they can play with. The problem lies in this patriarchal paradigm that teaches men to treat women as a commodity.”
Nazia Manzoor, lecturer of English and modern language department in North South University, said, “The predator comes out in full force at large gatherings like Pahela Baishakh. Out with friends and family, dressed to the nines, taking in the sights and sounds of Baishakh with ease—
the vision of women in festivals is somehow an assault to Bengali Muslim masculinity. It’s also a matter of righteousness. Men feel entitled to teach women “a lesson”, to put them “in their place”.
Festivals therefore assault the righteous male sensibility and are perceived as a threat to their religious sensitivity, all in the hands of women.”
Journalist Quazi Shahreen Haque pointed out that muscle power and culture of impunity due to political influence are key factors to trigger violence against women in Baishakh festivals.
“Sometimes some unruly men from political parties are involved in these cases. They get a free pass and get away with their crime due to the political influence. Leading political parties could make it an issue to play the blame game.”
“In addition, the perpetrators choose Pahela Baishakh gatherings to inflict violence upon women as they get to stay anonymous,” she added.
She went on saying, “Another reason is that some men have the propensity to display their muscle power every opportunity they get. The worst part is that women in our country are unaware about their capability and rights. If you want your rights, you have to stand up for them, otherwise you are never going to get them.”
Mounita, a 10th grader, is a hardliner to fight sexual offenders.
She said, “Yes, we are worried about our safety. But this street is ours too. I will go on the street this year with a pocket knife in my bag. First and foremost, we have to put up the courage to fight back.”
She firmly said, “Festivals are meant to be celebrated, not to be locked up inside our home for some sickening abusers.”
Source: Prothom Alo
