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‘Nari’, not ‘mohila’ appropriate word

‘Mohila’ should be replaced by ‘nari’ from ministry’s names


Published : 04 Mar 2022 10:37 PM

International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on March 8 to commemorate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender equity. 

The day will be celebrated in Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world with significant importance chalking out various activities focusing on the issue, including holding seminars, discussion meetings, rallies and processions for women’s rights and equality. 

Gender parity has been improving in various sectors of the country, including increasing female enrolment in education and creating employment opportunities. Although Bangladeshi women have made significant progress in different sectors, they are still struggling to achieve equal status to men due to poverty, traditional norms and patrilineal mentality. 

The use of the word ‘Mohila’ in Bengali as opposed to the English word ‘Woman’ in many cases reflects that patriarchal mentality. Because the word ‘Mohila’ is not positive in terms of meaning and origin.

However, many important organisations and institutions, including government organisations, are named with this word. The word ‘Mohila’ is used to name the Women and Children’s Affairs Ministry as its Bengali name is ‘Mohila o Shishu Bishoyok Montronaloy’. The world is also used to the name of the Department of Women Affairs as its Bengali name is ‘Mohila Bishoyok Odhidoptor’. 

The ministry and the department should be renamed through replacing the word ‘Nari’ (woman) with the word ‘Mohila’ (woman). However, if the name of the ministry, department and other organisations is changed, there will be no need to change the name in English.  

Advocate Syed Mahbubul Alam Tahin, a rights activist, said, “We should say ‘no’ to the word ‘Mohila’. We should use the word ‘Nari’, not ‘Mohila’ as the word undermines women’s rights and empowerment.’” He also said that the President can amend the ministry’s name according to the Rules of Business, 1996, with the powers conferred by Article 55 (6) of the Constitution. The Cabinet can also take the initiative to amend the name of ministry and the department as per the Article.  

The origin and development of the word ‘Mohila’ in Bengali language and literature are accompanied by the mentality of oppressing, capturing and depriving women of their rights. 

Many think that the word ‘Mohila’ comes from Mahal (house, residence) or Andarmahal (indoor, inner parts or zenana). As a result, calling women by ‘Mohila’ means humiliating them. Some others say that the use of the word has been around for a long time. So, there is no problem. But the word ‘Nari’ is more dignified and appropriate.

The word ‘Nari’ (female) comes to mean the female gender of ‘male’, according to Bengali-Sanskrit-English Dictionary edited by Sir Graves C. Haughton.

It can be said that Andarmahal or household work is important. The women do the work seriously. It doesn’t mean that she will remain only there as a captive and she won’t be able to join the outdoor activities. Once, it was very difficult for the women to take part in politics, economics and other outdoor activities. The origin of the word ‘Mohila’ (female) reflects that. 

The ‘Mohila’ word comes from the Arabic language. From the Arabic word ‘Mahlumim-ha’ in Bengali, it is called ‘Mahal’ which means place, house, residence, store etc. Many people in Bangladesh use the word ‘Mahal’ to name a house. So, the woman means who lives only in the house or inner parts. However, in the Arabic language, the woman is not called something like that. However, many say that this idea is not correct. They say that the word ‘Mohila’ comes from Sanskrit. Its first meaning in Sanskrit is wife, woman; and the second meaning is woman, but drunk.

Considering all these aspects, it is appropriate to call the women ‘Nari’ in Bengali, not ‘Mohila’.  In Bengali, femininity and its individuality are manifested in the word Nari, but not so much in the word Mohila.