No law to stop 'violence against men'

Although there are laws in the country to stop violence against women and ensure women's rights, there is no law to stem male violence. But it is said that men and women have equal rights. In many countries around the world, a number of non-governmental organizations celebrate November 19 as 'International Men's Day'.

On this occasion, an organization called 'Aid for Men Foundation' held a human chain program in the capital on Friday (November 19). They claim that men are the most oppressed in Bangladesh. That is why they think that there should be legal protection to prevent 'male abuse'.

"Men are constantly being victims of violence. But they have no chance to get justice in the society, men and women are engaging in physical relations with the consent of both, but the case is only against the man. He is being made a rapist. If men and women have equal rights, then the punishment for crime should be equal. Both men and women are guilty of having consensual sex. If punishment is to be meted out, both should be punished. But instead of that, only men are being blamed and punished,” the organization's general secretary Saiful Islam Nadeem told theReport.Live.

He said rape cases are being filed over sexual intercourse luring of marriage. And if the man wants to get married, the woman is demanding taka 20 lakh Denmohor. Even if the man agrees to get married, after 15 days, the woman is saying that there is no match. She wants divorce. Men are being tortured everywhere. For this reason, it has become necessary to enact laws to protect men's rights by eliminating gender inequality.

Imran Hassan, a resident of South Banasree told TheReport.live in the name of marriage, he was sued after being deceived in the name of marriage.

He said, “I got married in 2018. His wife later married another man and left for America, demanding a million Denmohor. At one point, when I got divorced, he filed a case against me for dowry and abuse of women. Arrest warrants were issued against my father, mother I. In the end, an alimony case.”

Another named Naeem told TheReport.live , “I went abroad after marriage. My wife went abroad with another man from the same village. And Denmahar demanded from me. If I refuse, they torture me in various ways.”

On Friday (November 19), on the occasion of International Men's Day, a discussion meeting was held at Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) Sagar-Runi Auditorium in the capital's Segunbagicha.

Speakers at the seminar said, "We are in a situation where everyone is talking about violence against women, talking about their rights. But no one wants to talk about the torture on male. Not only women are being abused in our society, men are also being abused by women. If a woman files a false case (rape, torture), the police arrest the accused and take him away. But there is no law to stop the men from being tortured by these women. However, the mentality of torture is very rare in women's society. But most of the rape cases in the country are being filed on the basis of false allegations.”

Bangladesh Supreme Court lawyer Liton Mia said, “Although our constitution says everyone is equal according to the law. But in reality it does not match. We saw many times in the court that men have been tortured in different cases, but there is no way to stop it. In fact, there is no law to stem male abuse. At present, it is necessary to enact laws to protect men's rights and stop torture. It demands time. If this law is made, many inequalities between men and women will be eliminated.”

M Rahman, joint convener of the Aid for Men Foundation, said: The onslaught of feminism that we feel cannot be eradicated overnight. So men are at risk now. Everyone speaks of equal rights. But what is it? Padma Bridge, Metrorail is currently under construction, but how many women workers are working there? We also want equal rights. Let equal number of male and female workers work in the construction work. They speak of equal rights but getting priority. The right to slavery has been established in the name of equal rights in society. If you don't want to accept slavery, you won't have a wife.”

He said, "Therefore, in order to implement equal rights in the society and establish the rights of men, it has become necessary to make laws. For this, everyone will have to work together.”

Khaled Mahmud Tanmoy, a founding member of the Aid for Men Foundation, said, “The gender budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year was taka 1 lakh 61 thousand two hundred and forty seven crore. Since there is no Ministry of Men's Affairs, it has been spent entirely through the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs.