Raushan Ershad, opposition leader in parliament, yesterday apologised on behalf of her husband HM Ershad, who had made a derogatory remark about female leadership.
While discussing the proposed budget yesterday, HM Ershad, the special envoy to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and also a member of the opposition bench, said: “We keep on talking about women empowerment. We say our prime minister is a woman, deputy leader of the house is a woman, the speaker is a woman, the opposition leader is a woman. But they are all like showpieces.”
Soon after, the parliament members started loudly protesting what Ershad said. Then, in what appeared an attempt to redeem himself, Ershad said: “The situation on the outside is different. Women are helpless outside. Women do not go to Shaheed Minar on Ekushey February out of fear … We have seen what happened on Pohela Boishakh … Nobody has been punished.”
However, in the face of a strong protest from his parliament colleagues, especially from the treasury bench, the former military dictator and Jatiya Party chairman decided to withdraw his statement.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury then said that part of Ershad’s speech would be expunged from the day’s proceedings.
Later, Opposition Leader Raushan Ershad started her budget discussion by apologising for what her husband had said. She said her husband’s choice of words was not correct.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
Gen Ershad didn’t say anything wrong.