A Bangladeshi cricketer has found himself in hot water due to misogynistic comments made on social media. Tanzim Hasan Sakib, who recently had a successful international debut, is facing backlash from women’s rights activists and feminists over his remarks about working women.
Sakib, who took the wicket of India captain Rohit Sharma during a recent match in the Asia Cup, received praise for his performance. However, his social media posts from last year, in which he made derogatory comments about working women, have now come to light.
In one of the posts, Sakib stated that if a wife works, the rights of her husband and child are not ensured, and her elegance is damaged. He further claimed that if a wife works, the family, veil, and society are ruined. These comments were met with outrage from women’s rights advocates.
It is worth noting that a majority of the workforce in Bangladesh’s garment factories, which have been crucial to its economic growth, consists of women.
Sakib also warned men in another post that if they marry a woman who is accustomed to interacting freely with her male friends in a university, their sons will not have a “modest” mother. This statement further fueled the criticism against him.
Jannatun Nayeem Prity, a feminist writer based in Paris, expressed her disappointment in Sakib’s views, particularly considering that the Bangladesh cricket team jerseys are made in factories predominantly staffed by women. She emphasized that women, including the players’ own mothers, deserve to be treated as normal human beings.
The remarks made by Sakib were deemed deeply offensive by writer Swakrito Noman, who demanded an apology from the player and urged the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to take action. Journalist Mejbaul Haque also condemned the misogynistic comments, stating that such attitudes should not be tolerated, regardless of a person’s star status.
The BCB has since stated that it is investigating the matter. Jalal Yunus, the board’s cricket operations chief, confirmed that they are looking into the issue following its widespread attention.
Sakib, who helped Bangladesh win the Under-19 World Cup in 2020, has participated in 12 first-class matches during his short senior career.
Overall, the Bangladeshi bowler’s misguided remarks have sparked outrage and highlighted the importance of promoting gender equality and respect for all individuals, both on and off the field.