British-Bangladeshi Dr Nazia Khanum Honoured With Freedom Of Luton, The Highest And Rarest Recognition
New Age Islam News Bureau
01 April 2024
·
British-Bangladeshi
Dr Nazia Khanum Honoured With Freedom Of Luton, The Highest And Rarest
Recognition
·
Kashmiri
Girls Design Symbols, Slogans In Heena To Ask Everyone To Vote
·
Israeli
Forces Arrest Sister Of Hamas Chief Zebah Abdel Salem Haniyeh
·
As Heat
Rises in Iran, Govt Tightens Hijab Law Enforcement
·
Attacks
On Iran's 'Hijab Agents' Continue Amid Uprising
·
Filmmaker
Mahera Omar’s Documentary Wins Award At Nepal Film Festival
·
Hundreds
attend funeral prayer for Ukrainian woman who converted to Islam days ago in
Dubai
·
Legal
proceedings on Baloch rights activist delayed: Advocate
Compiled by New Age Islam News
Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/british-bangladeshi-nazia-luton/d/132055
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British-Bangladeshi Dr Nazia Khanum Honoured With
Freedom Of Luton, The Highest And Rarest Recognition
Dr Nazia Khanum, Chair of
the United Nations Association Luton Branch,
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Apr 1, 2024
British-Bangladeshi Dr Nazia Khanum, chair of the
United Nations Association Luton Branch, was honoured with the Freedom of
Luton, the highest and rarest recognition bestowed by the Luton Borough
Council.
Dr Nazia, the first ethnic minority woman to receive
this award, was recognised for her unwavering commitment to the betterment of
Luton since 1983.
She was bestowed the Freedom of the Borough of Luton
on March 26, by the Mayor Councillor Mohammed Yaqub Hanif at a unique ceremony
organised by Luton Borough Council.
The Freedom of the Borough is a prestigious award
reserved for individuals of exceptional merit who have made significant
contributions to the welfare of the community, as deemed by the Council.
This latest recognition adds to Nazia's impressive
array of over 30 local, national, and international honours. In 2014, she made history as the first ethnic
minority woman appointed as Deputy Lieutenant to the Lord Lieutenant of
Bedfordshire in the 500-year history of the Lieutenancy.
Source: thedailystar.net
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/british-bangladeshi-nazia-honoured-freedom-luton-3579261
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Kashmiri Girls Design Symbols, Slogans In Heena To Ask
Everyone To Vote
Kashmiri women Mehdi artists
appeals for all to vote
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Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
31st March 2024
Kashmir is passing through an interesting season:
Politicians of all hues are campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections; most
Kashmiri are fasting for the month of Ramzan and looking forward to
Eid-ul-Fitr; people in hordes are soaking themselves in the spring blooms at
the Badamwari and Tulip Garden in Srinagar and markets are picking up with
early birds busy shopping for Eid.
Tourism officials claim more than 8,000 people visit
Badamwari – an orchard of almonds with resplendent pink bloom akin to Cherry
Blossom of Northeast and famously Japan, each day. Commissioner-Secretary
Floriculture Sheikh Fayaz Ahmad told Awaz-The Voice that 10,000 to 15,000
people visit the Tulip Garden in Srinagar’s Zabarwan foothills daily.
“Last year, 3.77 lakh people visited the Tulip Garden.
This year we are expecting over 4 lakh visitors”. Both the almond and Tupil
blooms are short-lived hence the rush.
Senior Superintendent of Traffic Police, Srinagar,
Muzaffar Ahmad Shah, and his team are grappling with the season’s unprecedented
rush on the Boulevard that leads to both the gardens. On his request, the
Department of Floriculture is arranging a larger parking for vehicles.
Someone rather imaginatively used the trend of
applying henna on the hands of women on joyous occasions like weddings,
festivals, and Eid, to spread the message that everyone must vote in the coming
election. The NSS (National Social service) cadets participated in it.
The Srinagar District Election Officer, Dr Bilal
Mohiuddin collaborated with Principal Prof. Ruhi Jan in organizing a unique
“henna art competition to promote participation in voting.” The competition was
ooverseen by the Academy of Music and Fine Arts.
Participants made designs from henna tubes on their
hands and on art paper in the style of henna artists to make a point. He said
the competition was part of the nationwide Systematic Voters' Education and
Electoral Participation (SVEEP) and was sponsored by the Election Commission of
India.
Dr. Bilal, who is Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar,
said the competition was held to demonstrate the traditional art form of henna
application “to convey the significance of participating in the democratic
process”.
Dr Bilal applauded the women students who transformed
fingertips into miniature canvases on voter education. He said that with
elaborate designs ranging from symbols of democracy to reminders of electoral
responsibilities, each henna design served as a colorful reminder of the power
of the vote.
Principal Ruhi Jan said the event exemplifies our
commitment to empowering students not only academically but also as
conscientious members of society. “By integrating voter awareness into our
cultural activities, we foster a sense of civic duty that extends beyond the
classroom.”
Aisha Khan, a participant, said, “Using henna as a
medium to promote voter awareness is both innovative and effective. It's a
fantastic way to engage with people, especially the younger generation, who
probably could not be reached through conventional mediums”.
The tradition of applying Heena on auspicious
occasions like Weddings has reached a crazy tip in Kashmir due to the influence
of the outside and fashion industry.
“Some of its expensive designs and forms are still
restricted to our elite, who pay anything between Rs 4,000 and Rs 20,000 per
service, but over 90 percent of its forms are affordable for the upper and
lower middle class. Some customers get it done even for Rs 200”, said Shehla, a
student at the National Institute of Fashion Technology in Srinagar.
According to Shehla, “not less than 10,000 Kashmiri
women”, in addition to hundreds from outside (different Indian States), who
include males, are regular practitioners and service providers of henna
application in Kashmir. They remain jobless for four months of winter but make
a brisk business during the seasons of marriages and religious festivals like
Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha.“It all depends upon their professional and
marketing skills, business investment, location of the parlour, and financial
background of their clients”, said Ulfat, another practitioner who has returned
with a degree from Mumbai. “Some of them earn lakhs (of Rupees) every month”,
she added.
Since the militants had banned all fashion and beauty
businesses, most such businesses functioned secretly for 20-25 years.
At least one parlour worker was fired upon at Gonikhan
in Srinagar. Two years ago, a young girl working at a henna center in the
Nowhatta area of Srinagar, was subjected to an acid attack. The incident spread
fear, even as the reason was different—the young woman’s refusal to marry the assailant.
Business insiders say the business hubs of henna
application in Srinagar are around Jamia Masjid and Nowhatta, in downtown
Srinagar.Many artists prefer not to reveal their names, but they have a
flourishing business. They have thousands of followers on their Instagram and
Facebook pages and use social media to increase their business.
Sana of BaghatBarzalla, an engineer, has a flourishing
business of henna applications that she runs on Instagram. Her bridal henna
application packages at ‘Mehandi By Sana’ start from Rs 7,000.
‘Mehndi By Azmat’, ‘Mehandi By Saba’, ‘Mehandi By
Zara’, ‘Mehandi By Iftisam’, ‘Mehandi Artist Afshana’, ‘Mehandi By Izat’ and
scores of others, mostly run by well-educated young women who had no knowledge
of the beauty business and started it as a hobby, are charging incredibly high
rates for bridal and festival packages. They run their business through
Instagram and several e-commerce platforms.
Source: awazthevoice.in
https://www.awazthevoice.in/india-news/kashmiri-girls-design-symbols-slogans-in-heena-to-ask-everyone-to-vote-27992.html
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Israeli Forces Arrest Sister Of Hamas Chief Zebah
Abdel Salem Haniyeh
APRIL 1, 2024
Israeli security forces arrested the sister of Hamas
leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tel Sheva on suspicion of having ties to Hamas and
engaging in incitement and support for terror, Israeli media and the Israel
Police reported on Monday morning.
The police statement identified the detained suspect
as a close relative of a senior member of Hamas. Media reports noted that the
relative was 57-year-old Zebah Abdel Salem Haniyeh.
The operation, dubbed “Early Dawn,” was conducted via
a multi-department effort. The police-Shin Bet joint operation culminated in
the arrest of Haniyeh in an early morning raid carried out by police, border
police, IDF, and the Israel Police aerial unit.
During the raid of Haniyeh’s home compound, security
forces reportedly found documents, media, phones, and other evidence indicating
her participation in serious security offenses.
Police seek detention extension
According to the police, Haniyeh is set to be brought
before the Beersheba Magistrate's Court later on Monday to seek an extension of
her detention.
Commenting on the arrest operation, Southern District
Commander Superintendent Amir Cohen emphasized that no effort would be spared
in the war against terrorism and that every asset available would be used to
ensure peace and security for Israeli citizens.
Source: jpost.com
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-794660
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As Heat Rises in Iran, Govt Tightens Hijab Law
Enforcement
APRIL 1, 2024
Every spring, as temperatures rise, the Islamic
Republic tightens its repressive laws on women's attire.
However, during Nowruz of 2024, religious and
political figures used the Muslim holy month of Ramadan as a pretext to demand
harsher measures against women and girls not wearing the mandatory hijab.
Citing pronouncements by Friday prayer leaders in
various cities, authorities targeted women who opted for non-mandatory
clothing.
In Shiraz, the city's Friday prayer leader criticized
the attire of female tourists, claiming it undermined the city's religious
atmosphere.
LotfollahDejakam, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's
representative in Fars province, expressed his disapproval of women's clothing
at tourist attractions like the Nasir al-Molk Mosque.
He stated his frustration with government officials
and threatened to personally manage the mosques if the situation didn't
improve.
He further condemned some tourist resorts as
"centers of debauchery."
Fars province is a popular tourist destination during
Nowruz. For years, the Islamic Republic has attempted to promote the city's
religious aspect for tourism purposes, downplaying its historical and cultural
significance.
The publication of photos showing women without
mandatory hijabs in historical mosques angered Dejakam.
Nasser Makarem Shirazi, a prominent radical Shia
cleric, was another religious figure advocating for stricter enforcement
against women choosing not to wear the hijab during Nowruz.
He demanded action from the Qom police chief, alleging
that "enemies" were attempting to tarnish Qom's image by
"infecting its youth with drugs and moral corruption."
AlirezaArafi, Qom's Friday prayer leader, criticized
the growing trend of women defying mandatory hijab.
He declared this form of non-hijab "abnormal and
unconventional."
Historically, Qom and Mashhad have been presented as
the Islamic Republic's religious centers.
Religious authorities have strived to control the
image projected by these cities, excluding those who oppose the government's
policies.
However, following the nationwide protests of 2022 and
the death of Mahsa Amini in custody, women's civil resistance has spread across
Iran, including Mashhad and Qom, causing concern among religious leaders.
The uncertainty surrounding the "chastity and
hijab bill" in recent months has also fueled criticism from figures like
Mashhad's Friday prayer leader, Ahmad Alamolhoda,
Ebrahim Raisi's father-in-law even urged
"religious people" who support compulsory hijab to confront citizens
who oppose it.
Ahmad Khatami, a member of the Guardian Council and
Tehran Friday prayer leader, also called on authorities to address the hijab
situation.
Meanwhile, a video surfaced on social media showing a
clash between citizens and an official in Isfahan who claimed to have been
beaten for "giving a hijab warning."
Despite the Islamic Republic's decades-long effort to
enforce compulsory hijab, women have consistently resisted it.
Since the summer of 2022, this resistance has become
more public and widespread.
The government, in response, has intensified its
efforts to suppress women who oppose mandatory hijab.
Source: iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/women/126836-as-heat-rises-in-iran-govt-tightens-hijab-law-enforcement/
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Attacks On Iran's 'Hijab Agents' Continue Amid
Uprising
31 MAR 2024
Two hijab enforcement agents were attacked this
weekend amid a nationwide defiance of mandatory hijab as ordinary people fight
back against deepening oppression.
According to the IRNA state news agency, a
"morality police officer" was hospitalized after an attack on Friday
evening in Hamedan, allegedly suffering "severe injuries".
On Saturday, in Esfahan Province, another hijab
enforcement agent was "assaulted" in Naghsh-e Jahan Square. Several
businesses were shut down after the incident which went viral on social media.
Widespread public defiance of hijab underway since
2022 was sparked by the death in morality police custody of Mahsa Amini, who
suffered severe head injuries after her arrest for 'improper' wearing of the
mandatory hijab. Since then, hundreds of thousands of women have discarded
their hijab in defiance as women demand the right to choose their own clothing.
Verbal and physical altercations have since been on
the rise as the state continues to expand the morality police patrols amid the
mass rebellion, citizens fighting back against the Islamic Republic's
theocratic rulings.
Women have been barred from public spaces, education
and work places for refusing to wear the Islamic dress code, businesses closed
and as a result, state surveillance, both overt and covert, has become ever
more repressive.
Source: iranintl.com
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202403313719
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Filmmaker Mahera Omar’s documentary wins award at
Nepal film festival
01 Apr, 2024
Sometimes Even The Shore Drowns, a film by Mahera
Omar, on Sunday won the best international special mention award at the 5th Nepal
Cultural International Film Festival in Kathmandu.
Featuring the mighty periwinkle, the bubbler crab and
Karachi’s mangrove forest, the film is an ode to the human and non-human
inhabitants of the city by the sea.
The film, which was screened at the festival on
Saturday, was inspired by Rachel Carson’s 1955 book The Edge of the Sea,
Sometimes Even The Shore Drowns, (Kabhi Aisai Bhi Hota Hai Ke Kinare DoobJate
Hain).
Set against the backdrop of human activity in and
around mangrove forest creeks, amidst steaming vessels and a new skyline, the
film takes one on a silent journey through a delicate wetland ecosystem on the
shores of an industrial city.
Mahera’s other films have been exhibited in Pakistan
as well as at international film festivals including Film South Asia, Istanbul
International Architecture and Urban Films Festival, and Delhi International
Film Festival.
Highlights of her filmography include Perween Rahman —
The Rebel Optimist and The Dream Journey musical travelogues.
Source: dawn.com
https://images.dawn.com/news/1192366/filmmaker-mahera-omars-documentary-wins-award-at-nepal-film-festival
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Hundreds attend funeral prayer for Ukrainian woman who
converted to Islam days ago in Dubai
31st March 2024
A massive crowd performed the funeral prayer for the
young Ukrainian woman Daria Kotsarenko who died days after converting to Islam.
The 29-year-old woman died in Dubai on Friday.
Hundreds of people participated in the funeral prayer
of the woman. Photos of the woman's funeral went viral on social media
platforms.
An X account “Janaza_UAE” shared the photos of the
funeral.
Daria came to UAE three years ago and the love for
Islam and culture prompted her to convert to Islam.
Faris Al Hammadi, Islamic Content creator wrote on X,
“The Janazah of the Ukrainian sister who died yesterday.
“All of these brothers rushed to honor her and pray
for her.
“This is the beauty of Islam, once you enter this
religion, all Muslims, even if they never met you, are your family.”
According to Daria's documents, she was a Christian
who converted to Islam in Dubai on March 25. Authorities said that Daria died
of a heart attack.
Photos shared on X showed a large number of Emiratis
and expatriates at the Al Qusais Cemetery mosque on Friday to offer the funeral
prayers.
Janaza_UAE wrote on X, “May God open her heart to
Islam and honor her after her death with these crowds and people’s prayers for
her.
“The Messenger of God, (PBUH), said, If God wants good
for a servant, He gives him honey. It was said, What is his honey? He said: A good deed will be opened for him
before his death, and he will be rewarded with it.”
The news of Daria's story touched many people, which
led to a huge turnout at her funeral on Friday.
Source: gulftoday.ae
https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2024/03/31/hundreds-attend-funeral-prayer-for-ukrainian-woman-who-converted-to-islam-days-ago
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Legal proceedings on Baloch rights activist delayed:
Advocate
01 April, 2024
Quetta [Pakistan], April 1 (ANI): Advocate Imaan
Zainab Mazari from Pakistan, representing Baloch rights activist Rashid
Hussain, revealed that the proceedings of his client at the Islamabad High
Court have been delayed since 2022.
She added that the delays continue despite clear
instructions from the court to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan, The
Balochistan Post reported.
“On many dates, when the case has been fixed for
hearing, the Court “cancels” case a day before or on the day of the hearing.
When early hearing requests are filed, Chief Justice Islamabad High Court gives
long dates despite urgent nature of case. Rashid Hussain’s mother is still
waiting for answers but now the case has been fixed (with a delay once again)
for April 24,” she added.
The report, quoting Hussain’s family members, stated
that he was abducted by the Pakistani defence agencies in UAE with the help of
backdoor diplomacy in 2018 and has been missing ever since. Pakistan’s Foreign
ministry also hasn’t provided any details regarding the whereabouts of Hussain
or in whose custody he remains, the report claimed.
Hussain was a Baloch rights activist, who was detained
in the UAE and eventually extradited to Pakistan.
However, the Pakistani foreign ministry has failed to
reveal the details of Hussain’s extradition in 2019.
Mazari claimed it was an act of negligence and a
reflection of the perceived indifference of the administration to the enforced
disappearances of its citizens, Balochistan Post stated in another report last
year.
The same report added that Rashid Hussain’s sister,
Fareeda Baloch, shared on X that various media reports and police statements
had confirmed Rashid’s extradition to Pakistan.
She referred to footage aired by Pakistani media
outlets showing an unidentified individual, face covered, being escorted from
Karachi airport.
Further, the same Balochistan Post report claimed that
despite initial confirmations, Fareeda highlighted that when the family
presented evidence pointing to Rashid’s forceful extradition and subsequent
disappearance, the authorities changed their stance, labelling him an absconder
from an anti-terrorism court in Karachi.
She also detailed incidents where their family home
was allegedly subjected to raids by Pakistani forces and her close relatives
were detained. She said these incidents were attempts to intimidate her and her
family into dropping the case. (ANI)
Source: theprint.in
https://theprint.in/world/legal-proceedings-on-baloch-rights-activist-delayed-advocate/2022451/
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/british-bangladeshi-nazia-luton/d/132055