Is the Law Fair
Towards Women?

The Bangladesh Constitution declares equal rights for men and women in all spheres of public life. So where lies the contradiction? The word 'public' seems to be a major clue to solving this riddle. It is only in the spheres of state and public life that equality is guaranteed through the Constitution. This means that in the private or personal sphere women are pretty much on their own. So even if her husband for whatever reason continuously tortures a woman, until she is killed, the state is unlikely to intervene, as it is too shall we say, gentlemanly to invade the privacy of the individual. The result is that women continue to be treated as inferior human beings by their husbands and by a society that tends to victimise victims instead of help them.