News

In order to create a world record, more than 250 thousand people, mostly apparel workers and students, were arranged to gather at the National Parade Ground to sing in unison the National Anthem on March 26, 2014. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has emotionally urged everyone to revive the spirit of the War of Liberation through singing the national anthem inspired by patriotism. She further said that the world would be able to know Bengali's nationalism and patriotism, which will remain as a record in the Guinness Book.

Comment

Failing to provide food, shelter, and security of life, property and honour to the people, Hasina government continuously engages in shallow emotional projects to divert people's attention. Earlier, she had arranged the creation of world record for largest "human" national flag in December 2013.

Rulers use occasions like the so-called National Independence Day, Victory Day, etc. to emotionally blackmail the deprived people. While the celebrations go on, our resources are given to the western companies for low price, ministers and secretaries engage in corruption, price of electricity and essentials rise increasing the sufferings of the Ummah. Political murders, disappearances have become everyday news.

Realizing that she stands on flimsy ground with unfavourable public opinion after a farcical national election and to suppress all her failures and all opposition voice, Hasina needs these projects one after another. There is no doubt that her failures, corruption and cruelty will remain in the record of Allah (swt) and she will be dealt with in befitting manner on the Day of Judgement.

The corrupt ideas of nationalism and patriotism are shallow, narrow and based on emotion from their very origin. No matter how much she tries, the "spirit" of "liberation war" cannot be revived and people cannot be motivated based on patriotism as the Bengalis' are not in war against any occupier today. The idea of nationalism, whether based on land or language, i.e. Bangladeshi nationalism of BNP and Bengali nationalism of Awami League cannot give solution to the people's problems nor does it stop the looters and the corrupt. Hasina's emotional appeal does not touch the people with empty stomach, educated unemployed youths who are forced to leave the country at any cost, farmers who are forced to sell their produce below their production costs, workers who get wage below what they deserve and the ones who drive their rickshaws' in scorching summer heat.

Instead of the false basis of nationalism and patriotism, Islam unifies people on the basis of Aqeedah, belief in the Creator Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw). Our Prophet (saw) has categorically denounced all kinds of nationalism. He (saw) said, «دَعُوهَا فَإِنَّهَا مُنْتِنَةٌ» "Leave it, its rotten."

On the other hand, Islam presents a comprehensive solution to human problems which can be implemented by establishing Islamic State. Only Khilafah "Caliphate" will remove the sufferings of the Ummah and lead them towards peace, progress and prosperity.

Written for The Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Muhammad Raiyan Hasan
Member of Hizb ut Tahrir, Wilayah Bangladesh

We have stated repeatedly that the formation of the Iranian-Saudi partnership government took place under American sponsorship and decision. The Saudi grant for the army also came with a green light from the U.S. in order to secure its cover in the task it was entrusted with

On Tuesday 1/4/2014 CE, a delegation from Hizb ut Tahrir / Wilayah Yemen, presided by the Engineer Nasser Wahan al-Lahabi, member of  Hizb ut Tahrir, delivered a letter to the Pakistani embassy as part of the worldwide campaign launched by the Hizb titled: "Free Naveed Butt." The delegation met with the Pakistani charge de 'affairs Mr. Khalif Hussein Khan Qudaru.

News:

The picture of what constitutes a beautiful woman in today's world has come to be a very specific, defined image - So much so that anyone can conjure up this image swiftly, due to how familiar the world has become with it.

This standard of the ‘beautiful woman' was initially defined by Western Capitalist nations where women who fit this image have been hugely associated with success, confidence and being valued and respected in society. Germaine Greer, the Western feminist and writer, further explains the link between beauty and achievement in her book, The Whole Woman: "Every woman knows that, regardless of all her other achievements, she is a failure if she is not beautiful."

Comment:

The Western woman prides herself on being strong and independent, holding the belief that she is free to define the image that she wishes to adopt in life - as is claimed under secular liberal societies. But the reality is far removed from this naïve view. The Western capitalist society which values profit over principle has set the standard of what constitutes beauty and it is this specific look which is glamorised in fashion and lifestyle magazines and through the multibillion dollar beauty and cosmetics industries.

Women have been bombarded by the image of beauty that sells on a daily basis through the advertising and entertainment industries. The UK beauty industry secures revenues to the tune of £8.9 billion every year whilst the US cosmetic industry grows by 10% each year. In the US, urban professional women devote up to a third of their income to ‘beauty maintenance', and consider it a necessary investment. Far from having the freedom to decide for herself her image the Western woman is in reality under pressure to conform to societal pressures and look good for men who are equally exposed to the same images of what constitutes beauty and hence demand this look when looking for a partner.

The quest for the ideal image is clearly not a choice for the Western woman and the claim that she is free to choose her own image has been proven to be a myth. Since it also is unattainable for most women, instead of building self-esteem it has produced a mentality of insecurity and obsession with appearance as well as a whole host of medical problems. The National Institute of Mental Health in the US found that ‘1 in 20 women in the US have anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder'.

The fact that the woman has become fixated with her looks above all else and is valued in the majority of cases based on her appearance rather than intelligence has damaged her life, value and role in society, ultimately preventing her from equally participation. Under secular liberal values where the woman has come to be viewed by many of the men within the society, simply as a commodity to fulfil their desires rather than a valuable contributor to the society many women face discrimination and sexual harassment in the work place and in society - A study in 1993 by the Industrial Society found that ‘54% of women in the UK had been sexually harassed at work'.

The Western beauty image and the effect it has had on women is poignantly summarised by the writer Naomi Wolf: ‘It is like the original Iron Maiden that was a medieval German instrument of torture. It was a body shaped casket painted with the limbs and features of a beautiful smiling young woman. The victim who was tortured was slowly enclosed inside her, and then the lid was shut to immobilize the victim who either died from starvation or from some metal spikes embedded in her interior.'

The question then arises - is achieving this image, what an intelligent woman should sacrifice her time, money and effort to achieve in her life? Should the intelligent woman really be taken in by the deception that surrounds the image of the Western woman? Or should she think carefully about the correct identity and image to adopt for life?

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by

Umm Abdullah Khan

Women's Media Representative Hizb ut Tahrir