BNP will impose maximum punishment for violence on women: Salahuddin

He made the remarks at a pre-procession rally titled “Rising Violence and Disrespect: Conscious Women Prepared to Resist,” held in the capital’s Shahbagh, organized by the Women and Children Rights Forum. After the rally, participants marched silently from Shahbagh to the Central Shaheed Minar with black cloths tied over their mouths.

Salahuddin said measures will be taken to ensure that those involved in violence against women, including rapists, cannot escape through legal loopholes. He added that BNP will remain vigilant so that misuse of the law does not allow offenders to evade justice.

Referring to a political party which is doing politics in the name of religion, the BNP leader said, “This party says it will reduce women’s working hours, which will ultimately harm their employment.”

He continued, “Their motives are questionable—they want to confine women to their homes. They exploit religion for political gain, selling the promise of paradise to win votes, while women suffer under their influence.”

He said there will be no religion-based divisions in the future, as all citizens will enjoy equal rights as guaranteed by the Constitution.

The BNP leader further said the country has yet to build an effective movement in response to the widespread violence against women occurring now and in the past. “Some laws are enacted, and in some cases made harsher, but they are not properly implemented,” he added.

On the July Charter, Salahuddin said the BNP is committed to implementing every clause exactly as agreed upon by the political parties. “If anything beyond that is imposed, the people will judge.”

He added, “No law or order should interfere with the sovereignty of Parliament, and there should be no imposition that would undermine the sovereignty of Parliament. Strict vigilance will be kept on these matters."

BNP Standing Committee Member and convener of the Women and Children Rights Forum, Begum Selima Rahman, presided over the rally, while Dhaka District BNP General Secretary and the forum’s member secretary, Advocate Nipun Roy Chowdhury, conducted it. Shirin Sultana, Nilufar Chowdhury Moni, Sanjida Islam Tuli, and Rehana Akhter Shirin, among others, also spoke, reports BSS.