There is a fierce debate in the politics of Bangladesh about the dress code of women parliamentarians. Recently, there has been controversy in the National Assembly over the wearing of burqas and niqabs by some women MPs. There are many controversies surrounding the issue of exiled and controversial writer Taslima Nasreen.
The incident happened on the day of the budget session. Comilla-6 Constituency Member of Parliament Monirul Haque Chowdhury addressed the veiled women parliamentarians present in Parliament, “Our sisters have become MPs, all of them are talented, but I did not understand who you are inside. Her speech has created a stir inside and outside Parliament.
Taslima Nasreen, author of the novel Shame, shared a photo of Parliament on her social media account. He reminded, Parliament is not a place to hide the face in any way. He said that it is normal for public representatives to be clearly visible in front of the people. There is, he feels, a great contrast between representing the people in disguise. Because a person’s face is the main symbol of his identity, personality and presence.
Expressing her anger, Taslima Nasreen writes that an ideology that seeks to hide women’s faces actually seeks to erase women’s individuality. Women MPs wearing burqas in that pictureOhBecause, woman is not a symbol of freedom, but a sad image of invisible and identityless woman. “It shows no educated women, elected representatives or active citizens, but rather an anti-social mindset, where a woman’s face is considered a big problem,” she lamented.
After centuries of struggle, women got the right to go out of the house, get education and work. But if a woman has to hide her face behind a veil even when she comes to important positions like politics and country building, then whether women are really free today is Taslima’s question. Or are they still bound by invisible chains? He felt that such isolation was not desirable in Parliament where people’s intelligence, reason and leadership should be developed. All in all, a huge controversy has been created around the comments of MP Monirul Haque Chowdhury and the clear statement of Taslima Nasrin.