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| Bangladesh |
| Hafajat defends Shafi |
| 2013-07-14 |
| [Bangla Daily Star] Amid widespread condemnation of Hefajat-e Islam Ameer Shah Ahmed Shafi's sermon denigrating women, the Islamist organization yesterday defended its chief's remarks. In a statement, it said that atheist bloggers and their patrons, scared of the popularity of Hefajat, were "creating confusion by launching a smear campaign" against Shafi. Signed by Hefajat's Organising Secretary Maulana Azizul Hoque Islamabadi, the statement noted, "As part of the smear campaign, special reports and talk shows based on the video clip of the sermon have flooded the social, electronic and print media. Some newspapers have played an overenthusiastic role." Shafi, read the statement, gives sermons in villages in local dialects, using examples easily understood by villagers, while in cities he uses dialects suitable for educated people. The organization argued that using analogies and languages used in villages and books [in sermons] cannot be termed indecent. These words and language have long been used in books, advertisements, health-related leaflets and booklets. "Such examples have been used for centuries in sermons delivered in villages. No one has heard of these being termed indecent," added the statement. In his sermon, Shafi said, "If a small boy is sucking on a piece of tamarind ... when you walk beneath a tamarind tree ... when you go by a tamarind shop in the market, it makes your mouth water; women are worse than that." He went on saying, "Sitting inside your husband's home, you should take care of your husband's furniture and raise your children, your male kids. These are your jobs. Why do you have to go outside?" The sermon drew flak from different women rights bodies and eminent civil society members after a video clip of the speech went viral. But yesterday's statement claimed that the Hefajat chief never asked to see women tossed in the calaboose Drop the rod and step away witcher hands up! at home, rather he reminded all about women's key roles at home. |
| Posted by:Fred |