Dealing with stalking
Friday, 12 November 2010
Those who have a bit longer memory may recall the widespread wave of stalking and violence on women during the early years of independence. At that time, people close to the power structure allegedly teased and abducted women, which caused big problems. Now after a long break of over three decades, we are witnessing another wave of frenzied stalking and teasing, whose victims are young women of all classes in the country. While many leaders and workers belonging to the two big opposition parties are being tortured and imprisoned for practising their basic democratic rights, it is difficult to believe that such cases of teasing or stalking school and college girls on such a large scale would take place at this stage. The daredevils who are wreaking havocs on young women do, as media reports do suggest, largely belong to the student wing, known to be politically affiliated with the ruling party. Our short-time memory also reminds us of the so-called 'evil politics' of the female leader of the same student organisation in one government college in Dhaka city that made newspaper headlines few months ago.
If such a student organization is allowed to become a byword for violence, teasing, stalking, sex and admission business, it does not augur good for the country. We would expect that our Prime Minister would realize more the suffering of women who are the victims of these social ills. We have heard many stern words from her with regard to the lawlessness on the part of the so-called members of the afore-mentioned student organisation; but unfortunately we are yet to see hard practical actions. We do not want to hear any big statements on the unruly behaviour of such urchins. We humbly request the authorities concerned to deal with them.
We just wonder what would be the reaction of few prominent 'feminist' organizations in our country, if affiliates of other political parties, particularly those in the opposition, were involved in such widespread violence on women! The silence of such bodies in Bangladesh and beyond, about stalking and teasing by the so-called members of the student organization claiming its political affiliating with the ruling party, creates doubts in our minds about their sincerity to fight for women's causes. Or, are these feminist bodies some sub-branches of the ruling party? We believe such feminist organizations should be above parochial political considerations and fight against women's oppression in general.
Shimul Chaudhury
E-mail : honestdebater@yahoo.ca
If such a student organization is allowed to become a byword for violence, teasing, stalking, sex and admission business, it does not augur good for the country. We would expect that our Prime Minister would realize more the suffering of women who are the victims of these social ills. We have heard many stern words from her with regard to the lawlessness on the part of the so-called members of the afore-mentioned student organisation; but unfortunately we are yet to see hard practical actions. We do not want to hear any big statements on the unruly behaviour of such urchins. We humbly request the authorities concerned to deal with them.
We just wonder what would be the reaction of few prominent 'feminist' organizations in our country, if affiliates of other political parties, particularly those in the opposition, were involved in such widespread violence on women! The silence of such bodies in Bangladesh and beyond, about stalking and teasing by the so-called members of the student organization claiming its political affiliating with the ruling party, creates doubts in our minds about their sincerity to fight for women's causes. Or, are these feminist bodies some sub-branches of the ruling party? We believe such feminist organizations should be above parochial political considerations and fight against women's oppression in general.
Shimul Chaudhury
E-mail : honestdebater@yahoo.ca