LAW345

Date: 30/07/2020
Section:01

Assignment topic: How has patriarchy affected women's rights in Bangladesh

Submitted to:
Anusheh Shiham Ali
Lecturer
SOL, BRACU

Submitted by:
Efaz Mahamud Azad
ID:16309030
SOL,BRACU
 How has patriarchy affected women's rights in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a developing country emerged as an independent nation through an armed

conflict in 1971. Historically it is a country with religiously conservative and custom modelled

society, similar to other countries in the region. The root of this structure is patriarchy, a system

of male dominance. Patriarchy can be defined as a set of social relation between men and women

which have a material based and which though hierarchical, established or create independence

and solidarity among men that enable them to dominate women1. It is system that societies

embrace throughout the world to dominate and oppress women, whereby absolute male

domination is being confirmed and women regarded as inferior or secondary citizen. It is purely

a social custom and has absolutely nothing to do with biology2. Visible conditions like: women’s

interactions in employment, parliament, constitutional title (prime minister) acts like a mirage in

this situation. Even though it looks like gender equality exists in Bangladesh, however the

perceptions remain the same, “men are in control”.

The origin of patriarchy can be stressed back to the time of human evaluation, that is the reason

almost every society in the world somewhat contain the principal of patriarchy. A common

justification of this concept is the natural hierarchy, that is men are strong and born to dominate

the entire species of the world including women. The theories of male supremacy provided by

scholars like; Aristotle, Pluto, Freud etc. also supply fuel for the system of patriarchy. However,

proper origin of patriarchy was given by Fredrich Engels. According to him, the concept of male

1
Jagger and Rosenberg, feminist framework, 1984
2
Walby 1990:20
dominance or patriarchy started with the immergence of the concept of private property3. Before

the concept of private property, men and women both had their distinct role in the society; men

to hunt, war and women to control the house. However, with concept of private property, the

rights of female were overthrown to ensure the inheritance within the bloodline.

The effect of patriarchy exists in every sphere of our life. Both in public and private sphere

women are the sufferer of the curse effect of patriarchy. For clarity, I will try to display the

existing method of patriarchy in our country. Firstly, within the laws, there is always effort to

demolish patriarchy. For example; Article 27 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of

Bangladesh confirms the equality before law of every citizen regardless of age, gender, race and

class4. Several enactments also in force to uphold the right and dignity of the women in our

country. Nonetheless, the exploitation and violation of the right of women if often downsized.

That is because the existing laws are somewhat incapable to change the patriarchic perception of

the people. The suppression on women is considered a common thing.

Family is the first major social institution of any society. In terms of association of power within

family, a major interdependence exists, whereby, men are only authoritative body in respect of

decision making while women are bound to follow the orders. So, every generation in our

country hold the concept of patriarchy from the very beginning of their lives. This hierarchy

within the family is related to the bread earning status of men. According to Kabeer (1998) the

usual division of labour, resources, and responsibilities result in dissimilar and imbalanced status

for men and women.

3
The Origins of
the Family, Private Property and the State (Engels 1940)
4
http://old.bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/pdf_part.php?id=367
Culture which is an important factor of the society needed to be explained from the patriarchic

point of view. The country freed itself from the British imperial in 1947 and finally got

independence in 1971 from Pakistan a conservative state based on religion. However, the

perception does not change much by the time. The opinion of women is regarded unnecessary

while male domination over them are the basis of Bangladeshi social structure. This system

every time starts to work from the birth of a girl. After marriage girls have to go to husband’s

house, while sons will earn and maintain their family, makes them burdensome in their own

family. During marriage the opinion of girls often neglected. After marriage they had to maintain

all household work, of which there exists no recognition. Lack of freedom of expression,

opinion, education, mobility are the main feature of patriarchy in Bangladesh. Wife battering is

quite common in the country. Patriarchal norms that naturalize domestic violence are not

freestanding, they are embedded in a larger culture of discipline5. In terms of sexuality a major

personal subject, the consent of women often neglected, at the same time women possess no

opinion with regard to fertility or reproduction.

Within the economy patriarchal mode of production and waged labour are examples of visibility

of this system. Though interaction within several sectors like RMG, the participation of women

is visible. At present thousands of women are working in this sector. However, if we closely

observe the hierarchy with these institutions, the top management of the decision-making title are

always hold by the male members. It is because, it is easier to exploit women. Furthermore, the

average wage of an women is far lower than a man holding the same title. They are easy to

manipulate thereby; it is easy to attain more production in exchange of a low wage.

5
Patriarchy and Women’s Subordination: A Theoretical Analysis by Abeda Sultana
The Arts Faculty Journal, July 2010-June 2011
In 2008, Bangladesh ranked 116th in the Gender Development Index (GDI) of the UNDP’s

Human Development Index- below Pakistan, but above India. The system of patriarchy keeps the

female population in numerous numbers of ways. Such discrimination, disregard, insult,

exploitation and oppression are reason of powerlessness position of women as a group. Such

position consequentially results in lower self-esteem and self-confidence6. Women in Bangladesh

must be able to stand up for their rights and freedoms, as guaranteed in the

Constitution7. The state as an entity must take action regardless the consequences against the

violation on women also to take initiative to change the patriarchic perception of the community

in our country, as without changing the perception the system of patriarchy can never be

eliminated.

THE END

6
Patriarchy and Women’s Subordination: A Theoretical Analysis by Abeda Sultana
The Arts Faculty Journal, July 2010-June 2011
7
Women Human Rights Defenders in Bangladesh by Saira Rahman Khan
REGIONAL CONFERENCE OF WOMEN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS