Opponents were involved with 1971 sex violence
Speakers at a seminar yesterday said the anti-liberation quarter, which is opposing the women development policy, was involved in providing Bangalee women to Pakistani occupational forces in 1971.
The quarter collaborated Pakistani military to humiliate over two lakh women of today's Bangladesh during the liberation war, said Prof Dr SM Anwara Begum, chairperson of political science department, Jagannath University (JnU).
The anti-liberation forces deemed handing over Bangalee women to Pakistani military as their holy task, said Dr Anwara while addressing the seminar on "Women's right: In the context of national women development."
"Not only that the quarter also tried to confine women at home. They even tried to prevent birth control and vaccination programme terming it anti-Islamic."
Dr Anwara also said that though they [anti-liberation forces] have been trying to thwart the progress of the country over periods, their attempts remain foiled.
Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, vice chancellor of Dhaka University, said as a citizen of a democratic country every person irrespective of gender has the right to enjoy basic rights.
"Islam has provisions of equal rights for both male and female. The antagonists of women development policy lack proper knowledge about Islam," he said.
"The antagonists led massacre during the liberation using Islam," he added.
Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, state minister for women and children affairs, reiterated that there is nothing in the women development policy contradictory to Islam.
Prof Dr Mohammad Abdul Wadud, chairperson of Islamic studies department of JnU, presented the keynote paper at the seminar organised by the university at its auditorium.
Also addressing the programme were Momtaj Begum, chairperson of National Mahila Sanghsta, and Prof Dr Kazi Nurul Islam, chairperson of world religion and cultural department of DU.
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