09/05/2024
Supply Versus Demand: A Gender Perspective
Ohidur Rahman
The value of some product or produce is very flexible depending on a number of factors mainly because of its supply and demand. Time, places and situations are also very significant factors among others. For example, water is more expensive than oil in Saudi Arabia. Contrarily, in Bangladesh 2 litres of water is about Tk.25, whereas 2 litres of petrol is Tk.192 i.e. 8 times more than water. Propensity of buy-sale is another substantial factor. Females are extremely fond of ornaments of gold and silver. As a result, they never intend to sell any, irrespective of its high rise of price in the market over some days. Similarly, the male hate selling land unless the real trouble persists. Adversity in the field of post-affair situation between a male and a female is the major reason in the scarcity of supply and the soaring demand of a female. The female face serious consequences after their involvement with an affair—‘love’ either spiritual or physical—especially when it has turned negative or unsuccessful. As a result, they are too intimidated to get entangled with such kind of affairs.
The more they avoid it, the more the male come forward or get sticky and persist in the situation until success comes. The supply gets scanty and so the demand gets soaring unless it is sky-high. At one point the temptation is too tough for the female to avoid like the fruit of the forbidden tree. Now the relationship has developed with one who can stick to her, can seduce her perfectly and later remains persistent until success. And the ‘one’ is not any of the ordinary males. He is one among the most outstanding experts in the realm of seductions. That is how no female can avoid the temptation and is hardly away from the relationship before marriage but the members of the other party i.e. the majority of the unmarried male remain as persistent as before in the perpetual female-hunt.
Subsequently, the female become absolutely high in demand and the inexpert (around 80% of the unmarried boys) remain persistent in search of any of those who are yet to be or have already been occupied by the experts (the rest 20% of the unmarried boys). This imbalance prevails especially among the Muslims and the conservative families. The similar kind of imbalance is clearly visible regarding property and money. Very few people possess property and money excessively and the majority of the others are hankering after them without any success whatsoever.
The above ideas should not blame the female as they are indomitably tempted. For example, several months earlier one Iranian was stoned to death. The curiosity may arise whether the female partner was punished similarly or not. Yes, she was, according to Islam. Now the question is whether she was responsible. Basically she was probably not because we usually find the female partner does not agree with her male partner. Eventually, we should suppose, she was forced to or tempted to, which does not hold her responsible psychologically, reasonably or biologically at times. If the case is so, she must have been too unfortunate and blaming her partner who obliged her or changed her course of mind at one point.
But does it mean Islam is biased—he was favoured and she was not? No, Islam is not. For example, whoever possesses a counterfeit note of Tk. 500/1000 or any other is held responsible and is subject to be punished, no matter who made the note. To stop corruption at any cost, some crush programme is initiated like riot police who indiscriminately hit any of the public who run riot during a mob violence.
A publisher waits for buyers but the buyers are reluctant. The reason is: the publisher cannot reduce the book-price unless a certain number of books is sold. The more the books are sold, the more the prices may be reduced. Similarly, the less the prices are set, the more the buyers will throng. But readers’ waiting for the price-reduction or some commission does not end. Similarly, especially in the Muslim countries, the female remain inside, though the scenario has changed. The more they are inside, the more the male pursue. The more they pursue, the more the female run away. The more they run away, the more the violent, unscrupulous and ferocious males attack and even r**e forcefully if not persuasively and even go far to kill in case of the posibility to be known or caught, though this group of the male is relatively smaller. There is another group which is much bigger and far more shrewd and deceitful. They are also talented and dashing experts who act fake love craftily, offer continuous inescapable temptations and subsequently manage to derive the desired love and squeeze it to extract everything for their temporal gratification unless troublesome situations arise and persist. Even the novice and innocent males pursue their love or companionship mainly because they are free from danger unlike the female, no matter those males can manage to succeed or not. As a result, the male are always after the female resulting fear in the female, and subsequently, making their faces turn away. The more they are afraid and turning their faces, the more the male pursue either fear-free or carefree or indomitably tempted.
A once popular Bangla film ‘Third Person Singular Number’ should be horrifying to the men folk especially in Bangladesh. There we see a man of over 60 who cannot remain restful at the sight of a young girl in search of a sublet. He makes his utmost efforts to be in contact with her by dint of any help to her. Such a sequence should have turned the male aside, made them ashamed and away from the female. I asked some men whether they were ashamed after watching the film. They could not understand my question. Later they expressed their happiness with the film and remembered some sequences with laughter like children laugh while listening to interesting stories.
Some years ago the world was horrified at the sight of those Somalis awfully skeletal and reasonably did sympathise with them. The news was widespread because the situation was visible. Some similar state may not draw attention if it is invisible. Such a situation belongs to the Bangladeshi male in want of female company. The condition may be reflected in the ways some of the drivers who keep staring at the female passers-by including their car-riders. But the picture is different at universities and the western society for sure.
Another similar example may be relevant, though it is based on my reflection. A man of about 48 used to loiter at TSC premises and ask some girls to tell their names and some more. He looked worn out in physique and dress; was easily understood single; a helpless man destitute of money and female companion; seemed to be inert due to a long past of honesty to the female. He was brought in the big room during our group-work of recitation. He was severely criticised, scolded and warned not to be seen around TSC, though many of the girls were extremely unhappy as he had not been physical assaulted.
Gradually, the gulf of supply and demand is widening and the situation is forcing the male to stick to and are inspired to follow ‘Jethai dekhibe chai, uraiya dekho tai, paileo paite paro omullo roton’ (Wherever you see some ash, search in it, and if fortunate, you may find some invaluable asset in it.). Consequently, the female develop distaste and hatred towards the male and cannot rely on any of the male folk. But where does the key to solve this problem lie?
Philosophers indicate one who creates a problem should solve it oneself. According to the idea, the male must do something to narrow down the gulf and must adopt some techniques to resolve the prevalent crisis. Most importantly what the male should do is to control themselves, strengthen their self-respect, divert their attention to some creative affairs, remain busy with sports, form groups for chatting and try to find alternative recreations devoid of addiction and immoral activities, and if not possible at all, show fake attitude or indifference towards the female as long as possible. The suggestions to get out of this imbalance situation may not work because some males may follow but the others will not. If we imagine all the males have started following together, gradually the supply of the female will increase and in course of time the supply of both the male and the female will come to almost the same. And if the supply gets equal, the demand will ultimately be equal too. As a result, the female will gradually withdraw their distaste and hatred towards the male, develop equal compassion and participate in agreements.
(Published in Morning Tea of The Daily Sun on 09/05/14)
