Dowry System.

Dowry System.

Dowry means the property which a woman brings to her husband at the time of her marriage.  Originally, it must have meant property represented by the voluntary gifts given to the girl by her parents, relatives and friends out of love and affection, at the time of her marriage.  May be these gifts were given to the girl in order  to enable her to set up a new home out of a sense of social responsibility.  The system of dowry must be as old as the institution of marriage itself.  It must also have been a universal practice.  Every father wants to give some presents to his daughter when she is leaving his home for good and starting life afresh.  There is nothing  unusual, bad abnormal about it. But as time passed, the system degenerated into an evil custom.  It came to be looked upon as an evil and a curse.  The dowry became an all- important and a primary factor in marriage.  Many young married girls have become victims of it. Some newly married daughters are maltreated and tortured by their husbands for the cause of dowry. Dowry system originated in the society through feeling of inferiority for womanhood. It is really a shame that we are approaching a grim chapter of modern civilization.

 

Dowry system has virtually turned women into Inferior beings and commodities. Newly married young women are subjugated and humiliated by their husbands for the non-payment or deferred payment of dowry. In fact it becomes a cancerous spot in the body of the society and social organizations are breaking down due to this animality.

 

Like other underdeveloped, feudal and backward societies the women folk of Bangladesh also remain at low graded life. The main reason is women s feeble participation in the national economy. Actually man's financial ability any independence is inseparably related to an kind of prestige. The women of Bangladesh are not economically Independent and they are de dent on the males for many reasons. Women of the two religions — Hindus and Muslims of Bangladesh are the victims of disparity in the hereditary laws. They suffer terribly from financial Incapacity due to this discrepancy. Again male dominated society where the clutches of so-called dowry system exists till now deprives women of their basic human rights and individuality.

 

To stop women oppression through dowry system is the prime Job of all conscious people now. To tackle dowry system and women oppression application of law is very important. In our country, two laws are existing at present, such as : Dowry Prohibition Act, 1980 and the Cruelty to Women Deterrent Punishment Ordinance, 1983. In these laws there are strict provisions of punishment for handing and taking of dowries, women oppression and women trafficking. So Impartial judicial measures are to be taken in all spheres. Besides, social campaign. protest and prevention programmes of different public and private organizations should be launched urgently against dowry system. The need for women education and employment of educated women should be stressed. After all, poverty alleviation and drive against ignorance and prejudices are the preconditions of fight against dowry system.

 

So, to save women from the curse of dowry system is a burning issue. Women should be given due right and social status by removing the inhuman convention of dowry. For this man and woman of all walks of life along with women movement should come forward. So long as the very social disease like dowry system is not abolished, our women will not enjoy due feminine rights. Anti-dowry campaign should be started and people should be made aware of the evils of dowry.