Info minister’s effigy burnt for derogatory comments on women

Staff Reporter  :
Hundreds of women, armed with brooms, expressed strong condemnation against the derogatory comments made by Dr. Hasan Mahmud, the Information and Broadcasting Minister, concerning the women leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) recently.

Disregarding police obstacles, women leaders and workers under the banner of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal organised a protest rally and a brief gathering in front of the BNP’s Naya Paltan Party Headquarters in the capital on Sunday afternoon.

During the event, the women leaders stated, “The comments made by Information Minister about BNP’s women leaders are not only derogatory but also a distorted expression of a barbaric mentality.

Such vile statements about women cannot be accepted in any civilized and respectable society.”

During a discussion seminar on 93rd birth anniversary of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib held at the Jatiya Press Club last Saturday, Information Minister said, “There is no benefit of going to foreigners.

Please stop the practice of projecting women leaders with appealing attire and appearance overnight to the foreigners. This doesn’t yield any advantage.”

Following such remarks the civil society members and opposition political party leaders strongly condemned the comments of the minister.

In response, the women’s group expressed strong condemnation and disapproval of Dr. Hossain Mahmud’s sensitive remarks and promptly urged for an apology to be extended to the female leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Otherwise, women in society will not confine themselves to their homes.

They said, “This illegitimate government must resign immediately because it is for this illegitimate government that the women of Bangladesh have been repressed for a long time.”

At the protest gathering, Afroza Abbas said, “There is a saying – ‘What’s the name of the tree, it’s known by its fruit,’ and Hasan Mahmud is the fruit of the Awami League.

As a result words will always be spoken. As long as this tree exists, such fruits will keep appearing. Therefore, this tree must be uprooted.”

“I don’t know if Hasan Mahmud’s mother is still alive.

If she is alive she will not find any to show her face for this black sheep son. Did Hasan Mahmud forget that he himself was born from a woman’s womb? He has insulted his own mother.

He has insulted Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of this illegitimate government.”

At this time, BNP’s senior Joint Secretary General, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, was also present alongside the women leaders. The women leaders were seen participating in the protest with brooms in their hands.

After the gathering the women leaders and workers brought out a procession that marched the Nightingale intersection and ended before the party office where an effigy of Hasan Mahmud was burnt to express their utter disgust