Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal MP Shirin Akhter on Tuesday demanded intervention of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to prevent the implementation of the recommendation of a parliamentary committee to exclude women officers during ‘Guard of Honour’ given to the freedom fighters after their death.
“I am surprised, shocked and upset, my colleagues have made such recommendations,” she said while speaking on a point of order in parliament.
She said that as per the Constitution of the country there can be no discrimination between men and women.
“We are stunned when this happens in that country,” Shirin Akhter, also general secretary of Jasod said.
Leader of the House and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was present in Parliament at the time.
The parliamentary standing committee on Liberation War Affairs ministry on June 13 recommended taking necessary measures to find alternatives to a female upazila nirbahi officer’s presence during the guard of honour given to valiant freedom fighters after their deaths.
Speaking on this issue, Shirin Akhter said that the parliamentary committee has argued that since women cannot take part in the namaz-e-janaza, they cannot give guard of honor to the valiant freedom fighters.
Shirin argued that janaza and guard of honor are not the same thing.
“Such recommendation has come from the pro-liberation forces at a time when radicalism is growing across the country. I seek the intervention of the Prime Minister so that such an unwanted decision is not implemented,” she added.
Source: United News of Bangladesh