Dowry
System Or Dowry and the Position of Women in Bangladesh
Introduction:
Dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings to her husband or his
family at the time of marriage. The basic function of a dowry has been to serve
as a form of protection for the wife against the very real possibility of ill-treatment by her husband and his family. Though prohibited to his wife. Every
day we have to see the picture of abuse or harassment of the wife by their
husband in print or electronic media.
Prime
causes behind women's oppression: Dowry is social
cancer. It continues unabated and everybody suffers. There are terrible stories
of suffering but the problem is more prevalent in poverty-afflicted rural
areas. It stigmatizes women and degrades their position as women. It has
virtually turned women into inferior beings and commodities. Actually, women’s
false sense of insecurity, submissiveness, husbands’ greed, poverty, lack
of social awareness, absence of moral teachings, and absence of strict laws
against the dowry system are considered to be prime causes of dowry and women's
oppression.
Real
Picture of Dowry in Bangladesh: The evil practice of
dowry has made marriage a commercial transaction instead of matrimonial
relation. The Dowry system has ruined the lives of women and families. In case of
their failure to pay the amount claimed by their husbands, they are burnt alive,
tortured brutally, harassed, and abused to bring more and more money, jewelry
white goods, costly furniture, etc. most of the dowry deaths occur when the
young women, unable to bear the harassment and torture, commit suicide. Most of
these suicides are by hanging on themselves, poisoning, or by fire. The reports of
print and electronic media say that the number of dowry deaths increases at a rate of 1-2% every year.
Status
of women in Bangladesh: In fact, dowry has degraded the
position of women in our society. It is also a reason why many poor parents are
often afraid to have daughters because of the dowry they will have to shell out
at her marriage and the stress they go through due to never-ending demands from
their in-laws. Nowadays bridegrooms are auctioned in the wedding market. The
bridegroom as well as his parents are longing for more and more unearned
income from the helpless parents of the bride to satisfy their indomitable
avarice. So in our society, a woman is reduced to the status of a daily
commodity that is sold and bought in the market. She is weak, dependent,
subservient to her male counterpart, helpless, and even an object of torture and
harassment.
Remedial
measures: Dowry is one of the biggest menaces of our society.
It is condemned by every modern civilization. It is regarded as an extreme
example of greed, selfishness, degeneration, and a social curse. So proper steps
for eradicating dowry from the soil of the country should be taken.
Existing
laws such as: Dowry prohibition ACT 1980 and the
Cruelty to Women Deterrent Punishment Ordinance 1983 are enough to ensure
punishment for handling and taking of dowries. The thing that we need now is the proper implementation of those two laws and justice. Severe and exemplary
punishment should be meted out to all those who indulge themselves in it. The
considerate people must come forward and start a crusade against this evil and
unlawful system. The parents should persuade their girls or daughters to mend
their ways. Finally, we all should remember that most of us have daughters and/or sisters in our families. Only our consciousness as well as education can
eradicate this social stain.
Conclusion:
Today dowry is not an innocent practice. It has turned into a social menace
that cannot be reverted back to its original form; hence it must have
eradicated from our society permanently. Women should be given due rights and
social status by removing the inhuman convention of dowry.
