Disrespecting women, destabilising society

Last week's grand rally in Dhaka, organised by an extreme right-wing group, gave a wrong message to all. In the rally, several speakers spread hatred against women in the name of religious obligations. Some of them also made misogynist remarks about members of the Women Affairs Reform Commission. One of the main demands of the rally was abolishing the reform commission and ditching its recommendations. The leaders of the organisation alleged that the commission is designed to undermine the Quranic guidance and codes in the name of equal rights of men and women. Some speakers also said that sacrifices of lives during the July-August revolution were not intended to form such a commission. 

In the rally, the right-wing group, Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh to be precise, also placed a series of demands and announced further programmes to realise the demands. The main demands include: justice for the killings at Shapla Chattar on May 5 2013, during the visit of the Indian Prime Minister to Dhaka in March 2021, and the incidents in July-August 2024. The leaders and activists also called for the reinstatement of full trust and faith in Almighty Allah in the preamble of the Constitution of Bangladesh. They also demanded an end to genocide and oppression of the Muslims in Palestine and India.

While the Islamist group has the right to organise protest rallies and make demands, it's crucial to review these demands thoughtfully. The explicit anger and hatred against the Women Affairs Reform Commission and its members are indeed disturbing and dangerous. Some of the commission's recommendations may be controversial and misguiding, such as the suggestion to introduce a uniform family law. However, this doesn't justify subjecting the commission members to verbal abuse. Instead, what's needed is reasonable and constructive criticism, which can lead to rational and open-minded discussions.

There is ample scope to examine the commission report and recommendations critically and offer counter suggestions. Some have already pointed out various drawbacks of the recommendations with logical arguments. Moreover, the government is not going to adopt all the recommendations immediately, and there is no way to implement those, either. What's crucial is to foster further debate and discussion to identify the merits and demerits of the suggestions. Every stakeholder, regardless of their views, has the right to join this democratic exercise.

The way the Islamist group raised objections and aired the protest is also a matter of concern.  A good number of people, mostly the group activists, from different parts of the country came to Dhaka to attend the protest rally. They largely do believe that their leaders are doing the right thing, although many of them have little understanding of the critical aspects of the issue. So, they may be tempted to spread the anger and hatred here and there following their leaders.  This will enhance social chaos and may even cause undue offence to women. However, it's crucial to remember that respectful discourse is essential in public debates. Some undesirable incidents have already taken place in the last couple of months, putting the freedom of women at risk. One should also keep in mind that criminals and anti-social elements may try to exploit right-wing groups under the garb of religious sentiment. 

In Bangladesh, women constitute a significant workforce and actively contribute to various socio-economic activities. The rate of female labour force participation increased from 33.50 per cent in 2013 to 41.50 per cent in 2023, according to Bangladesh Labour Force Survey 2023. The number of female youth labour force (6.93 million) has already crossed the male youth labour force (6.91 million) in 2023. For the last five and a half decades, women have been moving ahead gradually in education and jobs besides their traditional role of maintaining families. They have already proved their diverse capabilities in various areas, and their contributions are not to be overlooked.

Nevertheless, women are still deprived of their legitimate rights and due shares in many areas. Misinterpreting the religious laws and codes is a common tool to marginalise them by different sections of society. The extreme right-wing group is also using the tool to mislead people. They must not be allowed to do so.

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