Women-only beach in Bangladesh scrapped after social media outcry
On Thursday, officials had opened a 150m (492ft) section of Cox's Bazar for women and children, but hours later announced they were scrapping the idea. Officials had said that deciding to segregate the beach was following requests from some women.
Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority country and remains largely conservative."(The women) requested a dedicated beach section for themselves because they felt shy and insecure in a crowded place," Abu Sufian, a senior official in Cox's Bazar, told AFP.
The move to section off the beach also came after news of gang rape of a woman in Cox's Bazar last week shocked the country, sparking an outcry over women's safety in the area.
But the decision triggered an uproar on social media. Critics accused the government of approving hardline Islamists, who have recently held massive rallies demanding gender segregation in workplaces and factories.
One commentator described the beach segregation as "Taliban," referring to the Taliban Islamist group, which has curbed women's rights in Afghanistan in recent months.
Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh is the world's longest natural sea beach and a popular tourist destination. Hundreds of thousands visit the area during festive periods, and the tourism sector has boomed in recent years.
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