Yesterday, on June 17, the Women’s Department of Hezbut Tawheed organized a discussion with the theme ‘Women should wake up, stand against inertia, blindness, narrow-mindedness, and religious exploitation’ at the Engineers Institution in the capital. The honorable Imam of Hezbut Tawheed, Mr. Hossain Mohammad Salim, was the chief guest and main discussant at the event.
He stated in his speech that for centuries upon centuries, half of the population of the Muslim nation, women, have been oppressed in the name of religion through distorted fatwas and misinterpretations. They have been plunged into the depths of ignorance and blindness, resulting in women becoming passive, vulnerable, weakened, and trapped in superstition. They were not regarded as human beings and were deprived of even the basic respect they deserved.
On the one hand, the male-dominated society, and on the other hand, the distorted fatwas have stripped away the innate qualities of women, stifling their freedom of speech, silencing their voices, and denying their talents, knowledge, and abilities. They have become victims of discrimination and oppression, constantly reminded of their perceived weaknesses and societal expectations. Their speech, movements, attire, eating habits, and even studies are all dictated by their gender.
She wants to free her life from this invisible chain. Her soul becomes rebellious against everything: society, reform, and religion. She will either succumb to the allure of the unrestrained freedom offered by the Dajjal civilization or confine all her potential by remaining imprisoned in the clutches of a distorted religion forever. What will women do? Which path will lead to their liberation?
In the name of freedom, Western materialistic civilization has turned women into consumer products, objects of display. In the name of rights, it has granted them arbitrariness and obscenity. In the name of modernity, it has introduced a barbaric and unsafe lifestyle. And in the name of elevating women’s status, the religious business group has reduced them to valuable commodities. They were at times likened to bananas, at times to tamarinds, and occasionally to pearls safeguarded within the womb of an oyster. In the guise of providing status or protection, they were not allowed to cultivate self-empowerment or develop their abilities and capabilities. They were silenced, rendered immobile, and prevented from expressing themselves.
In this situation, Hezbut Tawheed is proposing a way of life, an ideal for women, which, if followed, will grant them true liberation and a balanced life. This way of life, implemented 1400 years ago, rescued women from the darkness of Jahiliyyah and transformed them into brave, fearless, and heroic warriors who struck terror into the hearts of their enemies. If the ideology put forth by Hezbut Tawheed is embraced, that exemplary transformation will once again manifest.
Opening speech at the event, Dr. Mahbub Alam Mahfuz, Divisional President of Dhaka Metropolitan, Hezbut Tawheed; Ummut Tijan Makhduma Panni, Spokesperson of Hezbut Tawheed and Central Health Affairs Secretary; Momtaz Latif, pioneer writer and researcher of the women’s liberation movement; Professor Tamanna Rahman from the Department of Dance, Dhaka University; and Mehrun Nessa, women’s leader of Bangladesh Awami League, spoke as special guests. Also present are Ali Ashraf Akhand, Prominent Lyricist and President of Bangladesh Crime Reporters Society, and General Secretary of Bangladesh Cultural Council; SM Samsul Huda, Editor of the Information Section of Hezbut Tawheed and Daily Bajrashakti; Ayesha Siddika, Taslima Islam, and Ila Yasmin, Members of Central Women Affairs Sub-Committee; Riyadul Hasan, Daily Deshispatra literature Editor, and others. The program was hosted by Adiba Islam and Nazmun Nahar Bithi. A mesmerizing cultural program was presented courtesy of Mati Music on the occasion.
