Asif Mahmud Sojib Bhuiyan, Advisor to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development & Cooperatives and the Ministry of Youth & Sports, stated that there will be zero tolerance for those who harass women. He issued this warning on Saturday (March 8) during an event at the LGED building in Agargaon, Dhaka, held to honor the best self-reliant women on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

He highlighted that during the quota reform movement in Bangladesh, women themselves stepped forward and asserted that they did not need quotas but rather equal opportunities to compete and secure their positions. Their courage serves as an inspiration, reinforcing the vision of a new Bangladesh free from gender discrimination.

Referring to the post-July coup period, he noted that certain groups had attempted to exploit the deteriorating law and order situation by using religious sentiments to demean women and perpetrate harassment. He emphasized that Islam grants the highest honor to women, and those involved in such misconduct must be warned that the government will not tolerate any such actions. He assured that strict measures would be taken against any attempts to harass women in the future.

He concluded by stating that Bangladesh should be a country where gender-based discrimination does not exist, and women can carry out their daily activities with complete security.