On January 20, in the Khost province near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, Afghanistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, spoke at a "graduation" ceremony. In his speech, he criticized the Taliban government’s ban on secondary education for girls and higher education for women.
During his speech, Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai said, “There is no excuse for this [ban on women's education], not now and not in the future. We are committing an injustice against 20 million people.” He further stated, “During the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the doors of knowledge were open to both men and women. [Back then] there were such remarkable women that if I were to elaborate on their contributions, it would take a long time.”
Hearing this speech and criticism, the Taliban’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, ordered the arrest of Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai and imposed a travel ban on him. In response to this situation, Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai left Afghanistan and moved to Dubai.
According to The Guardian, Prothom Alo reported this news today. After this report was shared on social media, many so-called intellectuals in Bengali society heavily criticized both the minister and Prothom Alo. They argued that the T'aliban did the right thing and that it was appropriate for the minister to leave the country. "Why should women need education? Are they even human?" they mocked.
In such a society, an 11-year-old girl named Suba ran away with her TikTok friend and was later caught in Naogaon. Following this, she too was subjected to extreme verbal abuse. No one considered that their own daughter could have been in such a terrifying situation. The cunning boy who lured her away is not seen as guilty in anyone’s eyes; instead, all the blame falls on the girl. Because she is a girl. She is subordinate. In the eyes of men, she is an inferior being. A woman is not supposed to have her own identity—she is always the secondary gender. Even if a man commits a grave crime, somehow, a woman will be blamed for it. It is as if being born a woman is a lifelong sin.
Ironically, these same men who degrade women are the ones who express exaggerated devotion to their mothers. They preach religious teachings such as “Heaven lies under a mother’s feet.” But seeing their rampant misogyny on social media, it becomes clear that these are mere words without meaning.
Brothers, recognize the distortions in our society. Everyone has access to mobile phones, but there is more misuse than productive use. If families do not spend time with their children, they may fall under bad influence. The primary responsibility for this negligence falls on us. We cannot place all the blame on an underdeveloped child and satisfy our own repression and vengeance. That makes no sense.
We should want parents to be responsible, the state to fulfill its duties toward its citizens, and society and culture to become more civilized. People should develop a sense of duty and compassion toward each other. Families must keep a close eye on their children, love and nurture them, so that they do not fall into the grasp of harmful influences, become reckless, or mature prematurely.
For now, it is a relief that law enforcement has rescued the girl and placed her under protective custody. Hopefully, she will recover from this ordeal and find a new path in life. The boy, too, may move past his childish delusions and grow into a responsible human being.
Before labeling any woman or girl with disgrace, let us remember the face of our own mother.
Without a mother’s sacred womb, a man’s life is meaningless.
If we do not embrace goodness ourselves, even God will not make our lives blessed or prosperous. This is a divine promise.
So, if we do not guard all that is good, who can stop the dreadful evil?
Author: Journalist
February 4, 2025