Stand up against patriarchy

Women being harassed, whether it be sexually, mentally, physically or otherwise, can almost always be traced back to the roots of patriarchy that are ever so engrained in our society even to this day. It seems that no matter how much of it is discussed, we are yet to weed it out while safety and security still remain a grave concern for us women. Such a mindset where men are allowed to predominate over us simply based on their sex, is indeed illogical. What further fuels this disgraceful societal imbalance is the culture of impunity that the perpetrators so lavishly enjoy. Exemplary punitive measures demand to be enforced.

I have also noticed many parents raising their children in a manner that favours patriarchy, whether intentionally or not, that I do not know. Nonetheless, there is a chance the kids will grow up learning that boys are superior to girls and, god forbid, might in turn pass that to their kids, enabling the cycle to continue. While it is surely a matter of pride that we as a nation have come a long way in our journey towards development, it is utterly disappointing that despite contributing to the progress of Bangladesh equally, if not more than our counterparts, many of us women are yet to break free of the rusty shackles of patriarchy.

Samia Jahan, Rajbari Govt. College