Taking a swipe again at Allama Ahmed Shafi for his anti-feminist remarks, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday wondered how the BNP chairperson could support him being a woman.
“He (Shafi) compared women with tamarind. He said water comes from the mouth when a man sees a woman as happens when one sees tamarind. I don’t know how the BNP chairperson supports him (Shafi),” she said.
The Prime Minister said this in the House in her hour-long valedictory speech of the 18th session of the 9th parliament.
Hasina said it was very regretful when an Islamic cleric used bad words against women. “His speech regarding women and their empowerment was both shameful and hateful.”
The premier said Maulana Shafi said that girls could be allowed just to study up to class five, not more that that and they cannot be allowed to join outside jobs. “That means thousands of girls who are earning their livelihoods by doing jobs in the garment sector they’ll have to quit their jobs and stay within the four walls without food,” she said.
Referring to women empowerment in the country, Hasina said everything has to be closed according to Maulana Shafi.
She mentioned that Islam is the religion of peace and it is a progressive religion. “Only Islam gives the women their rights, any woman can inherit the ancestral property along with her husband’s. This is very unique.”
The Prime Minister questioned did Maulana Shafi forget who first embraced Islam when the great Prophet started spreading religion. “It was Bibi Khadiza who was a businesswoman. “She spent her money that she earned from business on Islam,” she added.
Hasina also said Bibi Ayesha went to the battlefield with the Prophet and Bibi Sumaiya was the first martyr in Islamic Jihad. “How does he (Shafi) forget the contributions of women to Islam?”
She said Islam gives the highest priority to the education, irrespective of man or woman. “The Prophet said one has to go China if needed for education. Our Prophet didn’t mention it is only the boy or man.”
The Prime Minister said that no one at home and abroad can support Maulana Shafi’s stance regarding the women.
She requested the BNP leader to leave Shahfi and come forward to protect the rights of women.
“We condemn such speech, this is never acceptable…this kind of thoughts are always against Islam,” she said.
Recently, a speech of Hefajat-e-Islam supremo Allama Shafi was widely circulated in social media where he made some indecent remarks about women comparing hem with mouthwatering tamarind (Tentul).
