The Dowry System- a Burden or a Ritual?

Rakiba

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The Dowry system-one of the popular system in Bangladesh is performed during wedding. This means money or property or expensive jewellery brought by bride to her husband at marriage.This Dowry System has become a custom for years and years and unfortunately it is still followed, although it is announced as an illegal practice and is prohibited by the laws of Bangladesh Government.
But then the question is -Why this system is still in our society,when there is a strong law reinforced against Dowry? The answer to this question is Dowry System is now considered as a Ritual or rites.Our Society has renamed the word "Dowry" with Traditions or Customs.People no more call it Dowry but consider it as a new rites..

But how can a system is considered to be a ritual or rite when the ritual or rites becomes burden to a father,his daughter and to the entire family...?For a man who lives hand to mouth,a man who has low income or more than one daughter, arranging this dowry becomes a big headache.Many marriage proposals back out when the father or her family fails to fulfill the dowry.And in many cases the daughter is tortured by her husband and in-laws to get their demands,after marriage.In past years we have read many suicide,murder articles by husband and his family to receive dowry. But how long will this scenario continue..?

This system is still practiced in Bangladesh because of some high class people who named dowry as a Giving Gift ritual.For those people, middle class people are facing a lot and then again daughters are being considered as a burden.I,myself has witnessed an incident that took in my family.I have seen the pain in her eyes of being a middle class family girl,I have seen the tears of shame in her father's eyes for breaking of the marriage alliance...

After witnessing this incident,I made up my mind that why don't we all stand against this System,this ritual or whatever it is called ..Because,I believe rituals are done for bringing happiness.They are not done to force someone and consider the women as a burden of our Society...!!