A recent comment in Bangladesh’s Parliament by BNP lawmaker Monirul Islam about Jamaat-e-Islami’s female members wearing hijab and niqab has triggered a nationwide debate that quickly expanded beyond politics into religious and cultural dimensions. Following the controversy, expatriate intellectual Faham Abdus Salam joined the discussion, arguing that niqab hinders normal social interaction and that public representatives should maintain visible identities.
Columnist Minar Rashid, writing in response, criticized Faham for presenting his personal preferences as universal standards and for misinterpreting niqab as social seclusion. He emphasized that modern biometric technologies can verify identity without requiring facial visibility and argued that niqab-wearing women deserve respect for their personal and religious choices. Rashid noted that earlier parliaments under Khaleda Zia included niqab-wearing members without ridicule.
The article concludes that political criticism of Jamaat-e-Islami should not blur into opposition to Islam itself. It calls for restraint and respect for religious diversity, warning that conflating political rivalry with religious antagonism could alienate devout citizens and harm democratic culture.
মিনার রশীদ প্রকাশ : ১৮ জুন ২০২৬, ১০: ২৯আপডেট : ১৮ জুন ২০২৬, ১০: ৫০ অস্ট্রেলিয়াপ্রবাসী বুদ্ধিজীবী ফাহাম আব্দুস সালামের বিএনপির প্রতি একটি পরামর্শ আমার খুবই ভালো লেগেছিল। আমি আমার একাধিক লেখায়ও বিষয়টি উল্লেখ করেছি। তার বক্তব্য ছিল—বিএনপির উচিত হবে না জ
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