In a religion-centric society, the safety of both mother and unborn child remains deeply uncertain

A mother’s womb, a child, a moment – could have birthed the world’s most sublime photograph. But here, it’s turned upside down!

A few days ago, I learned about an elderly gentleman. He happens to be a seasoned leader of a so-called major religious political party. He lectures people – especially the educated women in his family – on how to behave and conduct themselves. Apparently, his mobile phone is filled with porn searches and porn videos/images. I said, even if he’s old, he might still have some desires; it’s not right to interfere with his personal freedom, as long as it doesn’t harm others.

The so-called masses of Bengal have no aversion to the female belly. But that belly must be Sunny Leone’s fair belly, or Nora Fatehi’s slim belly. That’s what they watch before going to sleep every night.

In Bangladesh, you won’t find a single “gentleman” (whose name, if mentioned, might hurt sentiments) who doesn’t know Sunny Leone. Even our so-and-so recognized Sunny Leone at the age of 90.

The gentlemen of Bengal and their cronies regularly gaze at women’s bellies, but they’re not accustomed to seeing the large belly of a pregnant mother. To them, a pregnant belly is obscene, impure, uncultured, unreal. Apparently, they weren’t born from a pregnant mother’s belly.

Showing a pregnant mother’s exposed belly is not Bengali culture. However –
“Why aren’t you having a baby?”
“Have a baby, everything will be fine.”
Giving this unsolicited advice to neighbors has helped raise the population of a small, poor country to 200 million- an extraordinary Bengali tradition.

On the other hand, America, Europe, Australia – these are all uncivilized continents. They’re so obscene that women there announce their pregnancies publicly, show them off to everyone. Pregnant women expose their large bellies, sunbathe, swim, ride buses and trams. Family members, even men, rub the belly and talk to the baby, kiss the belly to show affection. How obscene! Shame, shame.

Men in these continents are uncivilized too. When they see a pregnant woman on a bus or tram, they give up their seat. On streets, markets, and fields, they congratulate women with large bellies, wish them well for a healthy baby. If the pregnant woman is from their neighborhood, they keep asking if she needs help with social matters, heavy tasks, borrowing a car, or clothes and toys for the baby – until it becomes annoying.

Family members overwhelm pregnant women with care, nutritious food, and extra service. What a nuisance!

And even the elders in their families are uncivilized. Grandparents save up millions of dollars for the new family member so that their descendants don’t have to worry about the future. What fools they are—have you thought about it?

Bangladesh is the most civilized, decent, and ideal land for pregnancy and motherhood. Once a year, hearing the call to prayer, we realize that the sister, sister-in-law, or aunt next door was pregnant. What an educated, modern, and civilized family – no one even knows about the pregnancy. The culture here is such that when people see a pregnant belly, they don’t think of a sweet baby and a loving mother, but instead obsess over what the upper or lower part of the belly looks like!

So today, I cropped the image to exclude the lower part of the pregnant belly. Surely there’s nothing left to criticize now. What you want to see is right there on the frontline – your eyes will be glued to it.

In this religion-centered society, even mothers fall victim to trolling!

A photo of pregnant Porimoni and her partner – you’ve seen it. Every time I see it, I’m mesmerized. What a sweet, beautiful, and sacred image! A woman and man at the beach, and above all – even beyond the vast ocean – what grabs your attention is the woman’s swollen belly. Love, affection, and the arrival of a new human being – all together, this photo is a masterpiece.

The photographer who took this photo (I couldn’t find the name anywhere) evokes a bit of envy in me. What a sacred piece of art he created! This is one of those timeless artworks that are more modern than modernity itself.

I’ve also seen some nasty comments from dwarf-like servile people. Pretending to be wise, they spew venom. These types have always existed. You can safely ignore them. Each of them is loyal to different places, but in terms of thinking, they’re like frogs stuck at the bottom of a well – for them, you can only feel pity and hope they’re freed from servitude.

It’s a wonderful photo. Whether the model is Porimoni or Charumoni doesn’t matter. Please be kind to yourself – open your eyes and look at the photo. Sacred images must be seen with clear eyes. If the filth in your brain clouds your vision, you won’t see beauty.