Rumeen, Hasnat in bitter Facebook clash after EC scuffle
The war of words followed Sunday’s scuffle inside the EC hall, where BNP accused NCP of “bringing goons” while Hasnat alleged BNP tried to “silence the commission through muscle power”
The political spat between BNP leader Barrister Rumeen Farhana and National Citizen Party (NCP) Chief Coordinator (South) Hasnat Abdullah spilled over onto social media yesterday (25 August), a day after the two sides clashed at the Election Commission auditorium during hearings on the draft boundaries of the Brahmanbaria-2 and 3 constituencies.
Hasnat Abdullah earlier accused several BNP leaders, including Barrister Rumeen Farhana, of acting as "beneficiaries of the banned Awami League" during a heated exchange following Sunday's scuffle at the Election Commission auditorium.
Hasnat said in a press briefing that some BNP figures "derive their political clout from the Awami League" and said such "double standards" undermine the opposition's credibility.
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Meanwhile, Rumeen Farhana fired back on Facebook with multiple posts targeting Hasnat.
In one, she shared several clips from talk shows where she had criticised the Awami League over the last 15 years, writing, "I asked someone, where were these beggars all this time? They said, 'They were pretending to be League.'"
In another post, she attached photos and screenshots of Hasnat praising Awami League, Chhatra League, and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, along with proof of his past position in the central committee of Chhatra League. The caption read, "Isn't this the same son of a beggar [fokinnir bacha] who called me the Awami League affairs secretary?"
Meanwhile, Hasnat wrote on Facebook, condemning the use of misogynistic slurs against women in politics, following the criticism after the EC scuffle.
"No matter a woman's political position - BNP, NCP, left, right, or non-partisan - no one has the right to drag her body, relationships, clothing, or personal life into politics. That is not politics, it is the ugliest expression of patriarchal hatred," he wrote, adding that he stood against attacks even on rivals like Rumeen.
"The frightening part is that such hatred often comes from people hiding behind the mask of progressivism, who speak of women's rights on one hand, but attack a woman's character whenever she goes against their political opinion. Rumeen Farhana, Tasnim Jara, Samantha, Umama, Tajnuva, or Mansura - none are beyond the reach of this disgusting tradition," he added.
Calling out political double standards, he continued, "Supporting slut-shaming when it targets an opponent, but dismissing it when it targets an ally, does not just make our politics indecent - it normalises misogyny. Taking a stand against this hatred is not a 'normalised response', it is an urgent political struggle. No matter the party, ideology, or identity, this struggle must continue. Although I myself am a victim of class-based hatred, I clearly declare my stance against slut-shaming of any woman, including Rumeen Farhana."
The war of words followed Sunday's scuffle inside the EC hall, where BNP accused NCP of "bringing goons" while Hasnat alleged BNP tried to "silence the commission through muscle power."
