Once upon a time Hilla ‘ marriage was widely practiced in Bengali Muslim society . The so called mullahs of the rural society used to give this abominable fatwa under the secret orders of the elites of the society . In this case , the motives of the elites were more abhorrent . Even if Islam did not have the least connection with this fatwa , it would have continued as an Islamic law . As a result , there were countless Women in the name of Islam who had been victims of this ‘ legitimate rape ‘ . I called it a valid rape in the reason that , married woman were allowed to get rape by her marrying someone else in the name of Fatwa . If hilla marriage was not possible , the family would have collapsed . At present , as the people becoming aware to a majority in portion , the rural mullahs are not getting by anymore . They are facing resistance . Due to the increase in the rate of erudite in the villages and as the rural people are moving forward economically , the despotism of the rural elites has now greatly reduced . As a result , the motive of the unlawful fatwa has been reduced . Hence the exercise of this volitional Non – Islamic fatwa has been reduced . It cannot be said that it had been stopped completely . It spreads whenever it gets any convenience . I was reading a daily newspaper as ‘ routine work ‘ of the day . A newspaper catches my sight . The news was about a brave woman from a village named Erulia in Bogra Sadar upazila . In the vear 1998 , the brave housewife Parveen Banu stood against the so – called ‘ hilla marriage ‘ of the rural elites and fatwa givers . Having become victimized by the false fatwa of the so – called mullahs , her conjugal life becomes overshadowed by the black cloud . Her embroidered family becomes disarranged . Life became thorny and poisonous . The golden days of life get ruined in a moment . At that time , her husband was also silent under pressure from society . Being forced as one kind , Parveen went to her father ‘ s house with her one year old baby girl Mina Aktar Mitu by kicking the society under Mulllahs and elites in the face . Hereby , twenty years after the incident , this year , the girl snatched the rights of fatherhood by dismissing the issues of the said fatwa . Mintu Sonar of Erulia village of Bogra was married to Parveen Banu of the same village . A year later , a baby girl was born to their house . She was named Mina Aktar Mitu , One day , husband Mintu reluctantly pronounced ‘ divorce ‘ to his wife amidst a martial dispute . Neighboring people had heard it . They informed it to the rural elites . That martial feud was momentary . Even the hulks and egotism vanished so quickly . Yet , the hustle of thefatwa of the rural illiterate elites and the Munshi-Maulvi was that, Parveen Banu cannot be in the family unless she is Hilla married. If she is not Hilla married, she will be deported from the society. If needed, she will be deported from the village. Mintu Sonar was forced to remain silent in the fear of the social elites. Considering his silence as cowardly, Parveen Banu made it clear to fatwa givers- what fatwa! It cannot be effective if the husband speaks of divorce in anger. There is a legal process for divorce. And Hilla marriage is a crime. It has no connection to do with the religion of Islam. This protest of Parveen Banu did not work at that time. The people of the village did not stood beside her in the fear of religious fallout. In the fear of losing faith. What else can be called fundamentalism. Parveen Banu took her daughter with her that day and go to her father’s house. Deprived of the father’s affection, Mitu grew up in her mother’s affection and in the cuddle of grandfather Ashraf Mondal and grandmother Rahela Begum. Parveen Banu educated her daughter by rearing ducks-chicken, cow-goats etc. Mitu passed Secondary from Erula High School and Higher Secondary from Zahedur Rahman Women’s College. She took admission in Nursing Diploma in the TMMS Medical Institute and Technology in 1 year this year with the purpose of serving. After this the mother and daughter get indulged about the cost of education. On the other hand, Parveen Banu’s husband did not seek for the mother and daughter. On the contrary, he remarried. One day Mitu was informed about the various activities of TMSS. Seeking help, she informed the higher authorities about the past incident in her mother’s life. Hearing her details, the Human Rights Department of TMSS came forward. They organized a social meeting. Through the mutual of arbitration, father Mintu Sonar pledged to pay his daughter Mia Akter Mittu’s education expenditures and returned his daughter’s rights. He said, the pain inside his chest was gone. Mittu’s uncle, close relatives, TMSS Consultant and former Joint Secretary Nazmul Hoque, Director Abdus Salam, Public Relations Officer Raihan Ahmed Rana, Assistant Zonal Manager Shahana Afroz were the witnesses of this meeting between father and daughter. One of the goals of TMSS Medical Institute of Research and Technology organization is to empower women and establish their rights by eliminating all superstitions in society. This organization has restored the rights of women by placing discoloration in the face of fatwa givers. In each district of the country, such an institution needs to be established by a government initiative. So that society may get freed from prejudice. Persecution of women can be stopped in the name of religion. Women shall not be victimized in thename of religion by the so-called mullahs and the whimsical elites. At the same time, women can gain the ability to earn their due rights.
Ruksana Rahman