When secularism is presented as the enemy of the honor of the female race,

 

Even though I am sad, the king and subjects of my country, Bangladesh, the land of heroic kings, destroy the seriousness of the feeling of sadness and do new and meaningless activities every day. And I, ignoring my sadness, start writing on holidays...

Here are the BUP girls who have taken to the field to protest with placards saying 'Secularism is the birthplace of Rapist' 'Secularism destroys the dignity of women', who influenced them? Why did they do it?

When secularism is presented as the enemy of the honor of the female race, then in fact the fundamental rights and freedoms of women are curtailed. The main goal of secularism is to establish equal rights for women with men, where women can get their freedom and dignity.

As a citizen, we should ask this question, do we understand the real meaning of the secularism that there is so much hatred against? Why is there so much confusion about secularism in society? If secularism is just a political ideology or state structure, then why is the anger against it so intense?

The original idea of ​​secularism was to create a clear boundary between the state and religion, where religious freedom would be protected, but religious organizations or beliefs would not interfere in state policymaking. The purpose behind including secularism in the Bangladeshi constitution was to establish religious freedom and social justice for the people of the country, as well as to keep them free from religious excesses. This was towards the goal of communism, where every member of society, regardless of their religion, caste, or gender, would be able to live with equal rights. But the criticism against secularism today is a reflection of one-sided and politically motivated ideas.

Religious politics has often undermined the fundamental rights and dignity of people in Bangladesh's history. Thousands of women were raped and killed in the name of religious ideology during the Liberation War. At that time, religious extremists used the religious sentiments of the people as a political weapon to destroy social peace and peaceful coexistence. In this situation, secularism, which is a symbol of religious harmony, human rights, and democratic justice, became a resistance for them. Secularism came as a countermeasure, aiming to protect women's rights, human rights, and the dignity of all citizens, which were grossly violated during that time.

Secularism does not oppose any religion, stands against religious extremism, and works to protect the fundamental rights of people. There are successful examples of secularism worldwide. Especially in countries like France and the United Kingdom in Europe, where the state and religion have been kept separate, the rights and freedoms of citizens are protected. This has reduced social divisions and religious forces have not been able to interfere in the political sphere of the state. This proves that secularism is not only a political structure, but also a social philosophy that has given people human dignity and religious freedom.

After the Liberation War of Bangladesh, on the basis of secularism, various laws of the country were also made to ensure equal rights of men and women, so that women's oppression, rape and violence could be prevented. Since secularism is a powerful system to ensure women's rights, it is absolutely unreasonable to present it as the enemy of women.

Our society must understand the real purpose of secularism and protest against the undermining of human rights and dignity by doing politics only in the name of religion. If we see secularism as the enemy of women, then we will lose the fight for women's freedom and dignity. This secularism has given women equal rights and dignity.

Of course, secularism is not an attack on any political or religious belief, it is a specific intellectual and cultural foundation of our lives, where all people, all religions, all communities can live with equal rights and dignity. And only by ensuring the separation of religion from politics can we guarantee a society where every individual, particularly women, can enjoy their rights without fear of discrimination or violence.

Dr. Lubna Ferdousi

Teacher and Researcher

England