The history of the beauty contest is not clearly known to me. Who, where and when it started is unknown, but the common belief is that the beauty contest started some 60-70 years back in the West. Later some elements started to organise such beauty contests in the East, particularly in India and Japan. Of the total 60 Muslim countries, a few hold such contests against the age-old culture, custom, tradition and value system.
In some countries the government patronises such beauty contests and in others individuals and private organisations arrange such contests. Never such contests were ever organised in Bangladesh. Strangely, some people are now trying to organise such a beauty contest in Bangladesh against the deep-rooted faith, ethics and norms of the majority people of the country. The government of Bangladesh did not allow organising such functions in the country. Therefore the people who are active to raze the basic elements of the culture of Bangladesh, a predominantly Muslim country, in the name of globalisation and modernism, organised a beauty contest in London sometime back and selected a girl who later participated in the world contest. Of late, some people are organising a beauty contest in Bangladesh in the name and cover of fashion show.
The most pertinent question is: does the beauty contest enhance the prestige and dignity of the womenfolk of the country or is it in any way related with the development of the country’s economy? In the beauty contest, the participating women are scantily dressed, are mostly required to expose their body and beauty before the male judges walking in the most offensive and distasteful manner. Does it in any way increase respect of the women? In fact, the semi-covered body of a woman brings disgrace to her. Historically, all noble ladies even in the West until now were dressed in the most dignified manner. In fact such half clothed women become an object of commercial display and turn into the easy prey of the lust of the males.
The question is: why beauty contest of the woman is being organised when no beauty contest is planned to select the most handsome man? In fact, a section of business community organises beauty contest of the women to use them for commercial purposes for which women, our sisters and mothers, are disgraced. The beauty contests excite male members of the society. This is true not only in the matter of beauty contest; any obscene, offensive and vulgar programme involving women is bound to incite male members. Such programmes are responsible for the moral degeneration of our youth. The root cause of the increase of rape, violence and crimes related to women is the spread of obscenity in society. The beauty contest therefore in no way increases prestige, honour, dignity, safety and security of women rather women lose respect, and their security is further endangered.
Does the beauty contest in any way contribute to the economic development? No empirical study or survey has ever established that beauty contest in some way or the other has played any constructive or significant role for the progress and development of any country. There is no logic behind the claim that such beauty contests contribute directly or indirectly to the economic stride and progress of any society. Beauty contest has in no meaningful way made any contribution in the increase of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or the national income.
Some good-looking women who won in the beauty contest later joined the advertisement industry as models. This might in some way financially benefit them personally. The joining of some pretty women in the commercial and advertisement industry might have increased the demand of certain product, soap, paste, etc. in the market but this increase takes place mostly at the expense or reduction of sale of some other soaps, paste, etc. of other companies. This however does not as a whole increase the GDP. Moreover, products are sold because of the quality, not because of the fair looking models or due to their physical posture.
Some tourists of foreign countries might come to visit a particular country for a day or two, but this is very insignificant and does not carry any weight or credence. Such a beauty contest, for sure, has no value in terms of the economic activity of a country or benefit the tourist industry on a long term basis.
What is the reaction of the women concerning the beauty contest? In this regard, let us see the article by Hasina Habib, a student of BUET who in an article published in the daily Inqilab on 2 April 2002 captioned ‘Beauty Contest vis-à-vis Art’ writes:
“BTV broadcasted a programme of beauty contest on 3rd April. The commentator during the presentation ceremony of the programme on several occasions commented that these beautiful ladies are the assets of the country. On what consideration these pretty ladies are the assets of the country? Earning Forex by showing and screening beauty cannot be a prestigious profession or an aesthetic art. On what reckoning then the participants of beauty contest can be asset, when such contest in itself is not honourable? The questions that were put forward to the participants of the contest to ascertain the intelligence and the capacity for immediate response to quarry were not at all scholarly. Such questions were asked: To grow up is not an interesting matter, what do you think? What do you mean by hairstyle? … etc. How such hollow and meaningless questions can be the reflection of intelligence and wisdom?
The ultimate objective of the clothing is to cover up the body. Its aim is also to protect prestige, honour and the dignity of the individual personality. But in the presentation ceremony of the beauty contest as broadcast by the BTV the participant women were shown walking in such skin tight, bare and half naked way as if the purpose is to attract male members who are viewing. Such exposure of the body and beauty of the women should be stopped.
[The writer is former Secretary, Government of Bangladesh]