HC observation on dress code may hamper women’s safety: Mahila Parishad

Bangladesh Mahila Parishad has expressed deep concern over the High Court’s observation of a girl being harassed at Narsingdi railway station over her dress code, saying the remark would hamper the free movement and safety of women.

The women’s rights forum also said the court’s observation will hamper the process of preventing violence against women, a press release issued on Thursday said.

“Such an attitude and statement by anyone placed in an important position would otherwise make it impossible for women to obtain justice,” the statement said.

In the statement released by Mahila Prishad, President Fowzia Moslem and Secretary General Maleka Banu said, “We learned from reports on August 17 about a girl being harassed for her dress code at Narsingdi station that the High Court (HC) has questioned whether anyone wearing such an outfit can go to the railway station in a civilized country.If this claim is true, it is contrary to human rights enshrined in the Constitution, the women’s equal rights, internationally recognized human rights standards, women’s empowerment and the current government’s women’s development policies, it also challenges gender sensitivity “.

The country has made phenomenal progress in establishing women’s rights and empowering them. The right to liberty, to choose or to make a decision, and freedom of movement are his constitutional rights.

“The place where women’s rights, human rights and security were supposed to be protected, this type of comment there is unfortunate,” the statement said.