Three female leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and three female writers have issued a legal notice to Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh after one of its leaders publicly referred to women in a derogatory manner during a public address using a microphone.
The notice was sent on Monday afternoon through Advocate Palash.
The literary and cultural figures involved are Umme Rayhana, Umme Farhana, and Camellia Sharmin Chura, while the three NCP leaders are Syeda Nilima Dola, Dyuti Arannya Chowdhury, and Neela Afroze.
Speaking to the media, they said that such forms of misogynistic abuse have no place in the new Bangladesh, especially after the July uprising.
They emphasized that women played a vital role in that movement, and therefore, the new Bangladesh must belong to everyone.
They expressed hope for the rise of a more inclusive and respectful society.
They further noted that this kind of verbal abuse toward women, particularly those involved in the proposed National Women’s Reform Commission, is deeply harmful.
While there may be room for disagreement regarding proposals related to women’s freedom and quality of life, they stressed that there is no room for slander or derogatory language.
The legal notice also highlights Hefazat-e-Islam’s alleged affiliations with Awami League-aligned political groups, questioning how such parties are permitted to organize public gatherings of this nature.
Additionally, they challenged whether Hefazat’s leaders, under the Islamic laws currently in force in the country, have ensured that women in their own families receive their rightful share of property.
The notice asserts that no one has the right to publicly refer to women in such a way, especially in the context of the Women’s Reform Commission.
