A heated debate put Parliament floor on fire, on Sunday, over a recent comment made on women, by Hefazat-e-Islami chief Allama Ahmed Shafi. Treasury bench lawmakers condemned the “derogatory” remarks, while opposition MPs termed Shafi as an Islamic cleric (Alema). Ruling party lawmaker AN Mahfuza Khatun Baby Maudud (Women Seat-50) raised a point of order to introduce the debate. Agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury, state minister for women and children affairs Meher Afroze Chumki, Syeda Ashifa Ashrafi Papia (Women Seat-41), Fazilatunnessa Bappy (Women Seat-47), and advocate Tarana Halim (Women Seat-8) participated in it.
Opposition lawmakers raised objections against the speeches made by some treasury bench women MPs, as the latter group linked up opposition leader Khaleda Zia with Shafi.
BNP lawmaker Syed Ashifa Ashrafi Papia described Allama Ahmed Shafi as an Islamic cleric, saying that she wanted to know the purpose of the debate in the House. She claimed that certain media outlets close to the ruling party had presented Shafi’s remarks in a distorted manner. “It’s a media coup,” she added.
Papia also protested against the alleged link up of Khaleda Zia with Allama Ahmed Shafi.
“These are baseless and untrue,” she said. She also defended the Hefazat’s 13-point charter of demands, saying that Shafi has put women’s safety before other things.
Papia accused the government of killing Hefazat members and 57 army officials. She said that people had given the government a befitting reply in the recently concluded city corporation polls. Addressing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, she said, “Control yourself. Otherwise, you’ll land into the hole that you, yourself, had dug for others.”
Taking part in the debate, agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury said Shafi was deliberately trying to push women into the age of darkness (Ayam-e-Jahiliat). “It’s our moral obligation to protest against such remarks. I want to let people know our position against his remarks,” she added.
The agriculture minister said Shafi might be a knowledgeable person, but he was sharing his knowledge in a perverse manner. “Shafi’s speech reflects low taste. It’s ugly and indecent. Our women reject such remarks. We want our brothers to stand by us,” she added.
She inquired about Shafi’s whereabouts “when former president Ziaur Rahman had granted licenses of bars and allowed dance performances by Princess Zarina and Lucky Khan, at casinos”.
Describing her feelings about Shafi’s remarks, Matia Chowdhury said: “I feel as if someone has vomited on me, in a running bus.”
-With The Independent input
