Hefazat expresses regret over 'offensive' remarks by 2 speakers at 3 May rally
"There is no question of us harbouring hatred towards women. It is simply foolish to portray ideological struggles as hatred towards women," reads a statement issued by the Islamist organisation
Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has expressed regret over the "unexpected and offensive" rhetoric used by two speakers at its grand rally held at the capital's Suhrawardy Udyan on 3 May.
"Hefazat does not endorse such unwanted remarks," said its Joint Secretary General Maulana Azizul Haque Islamabadi in a media statement today (6 May).
In the statement, Azizul said: "At our grand assembly, two speakers unexpectedly used offensive rhetoric, which we do not support. If anyone has been hurt by this, we sincerely apologise to them. At the same time, we call upon those from the so called 'secular-progressive camp' who constantly mock Islamic scholars and clerics with hateful labels like 'Jongi (terrorist)', 'militant', 'Moulobadi (fundamentalist)', 'religious exploiters', and 'communal' to refrain from such offensive terms.
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"And we have not forgotten or forgiven who encouraged the fascist Awami League regime behind the genocide at the Shapla Chattar."
He continued, "The very notion that we harbour hatred toward women is absurd. Portraying an ideological battle as 'hatred toward women' is sheer ignorance. We reiterate that we are willing to engage in reform efforts to protect women's legitimate rights in accordance with their respective religious laws."
He said, "However, from the outset, a women's related reform commission was formed by sidelining Islamic clerics and other religious scholars and instead including a group of NGO-fuelled feminists.
"As a result, a one-sided report was produced, safeguarding the interests and ideologies of the liberal-secular and so-called progressive women's tiny community while ignoring the religious thoughts and considerations of the huge number of devout female population. Such discrimination cannot be accepted."
The Hefazat statement came after six women, including three leaders from the National Citizen Party (NCP), sent a legal notice to the Islamist organisation yesterday (5 May), accusing them of insulting women at the public meeting.
The notice was sent by NCP leaders Syeda Nilima Dola, Dyuti Aranya Chowdhury, and Nila Afroz, as well as cultural personalities Umme Rayhana, Umme Farhana, and Kameliya Sharmin Chura.
In today's statement, Azizul also said, "The smear campaign by extremist Islamophobic groups labelling us as 'misogynists' is an old political tactic. However, across the country, our women's Qawmi madrasas see a significant yearly increase in female students.
"These madrasas provide free accommodation, food, security, and religious education even for girls from marginalised and poor families. Thus, we have also contributed significantly to increasing women's literacy rates in this country."
He continued, "We are convinced that imperialist-neo-colonialist forces — driven by cultural sabotage — have weaponised a cabal of ultra-liberal, NGO-fuelled feminist radicals to attack us. Their sole aim is to undermine our sociocultural order and religious values, which stand as bulwarks against the West's grotesque project of reducing women to mere commodities in the name of 'progress and modernity'."
"Let this be clear: their agenda of societal disintegration will not go unchallenged. Should they overreach, they will face pertinacious resistance," he said, concluding the statement.
