Stop propaganda against women: PM

Denouncing the efforts of a section of people to keep women captive in houses, Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina urged Sunday all to come forward to create social awareness to stop anti-women propaganda, report agencies.
"Very often a section of people want to keep women confined to houses through anti-women propaganda and by giving wrong explanation of Islam. They want to keep women away from enjoying the rights of education and livelihoods. We need to come forward to create social awareness against anti-women propaganda," the PM said while inaugurating a programme marking the World Women's Day-2015.
Women and Children Affairs Ministry organised the programme at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre with State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Ministry Meher Afroze Chumki in the chair.
Country representative of the United Nations' Population Fund (UNFPA) Argentina P Metavel was the special guest where Women and Child Affairs secretary Tariq-Ul-Islam delivered the welcome speech.
Sheikh Hasina said Islam gave the women the rights for working with dignity in all sectors, including education, business-trade, industry, agriculture, healthcare and service of family, social and national lives.
In this connection, she cited examples of Hazrat Ayesha (RA), Hazrat Khadija (RA), Asma Binte Mukharrabah Inbe Jandal (RA), Hazrat Joynab (RA), Hazrat Sumaiya (RA), from the early stage of Islam in Arab who also engaged in trade and business, even during war and said that their contributions would be remembered always.
Sheikh Hasina also urged the country's women to be vocal and put up a united resistance against the killing of people through arson attacks by BNP-Jamaat alliance and its leader Khaleda Zia.
"We must put up a united resistance against the evil activities of BNP-Jamaat, because we cannot tolerate such heinous activities in Bangladesh."
The PM also reiterated that the persons behind these heinous incidents have to face trial one day. "The trial of the person who is doing these heinous activities will be held in the land of Bangladesh Inshallah, there is no doubt about it," she said.
Blasting BNP leader Khaleda Zia for destroying the academic lives of more than 1.5 million examinees of the country through enforcing hartals during the SSC exam time, she questioned what the fault of the innocent students was.
Hasina also criticised Khaleda for showing utter negligence towards the court and its orders. "She (Khaleda) must abide by law, justice, court and verdict."
Terming BNP's boycott of the last general election a political mistake of Khaleda Zia, she said the BNP chief is now burning people to fulfill her political high ambition. "Who did give her the right to kill people of this country through arson attacks?" she questioned.
The PM said Khaleda Zia was killing people through arson attacks, though the country's people were not responding to her so-called movement.
"More than two months have passed by since she (Khaleda) has started killing people ...what kind of politics is this? Politics is for people and their welfare, not to burn them to death. This is very much unfortunate….she's been doing this endlessly," Hasina told the function.
The PM also said how the person who was the prime minister and opposition leader could kill people through arson attacks.
"There is nothing more shocking than killing people through fire, and unfortunately she (Khaleda Zia) is doing that," Hasina added.