Bangladeshi cricketer Tanzim Hasan Sakib has issued an apology following the backlash over his misogynistic social media posts. While he expressed regret for his comments, he maintained that he is not a misogynist because he cited that “his mother is a woman,” as conveyed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib made a significant impact in the cricket world recently when he dismissed India captain Rohit Sharma with just his fourth international delivery during the Asia Cup encounter between the two neighboring teams. His remarkable performance contributed to Bangladesh’s victory.

Despite his cricketing success, Tanzim Hasan faced criticism from women’s rights activists and feminists who uncovered his past social media posts. The posts, dating back to last year, targeted working women and those who associated with male friends at a university. In one post, Tanzim wrote, “If the wife works, her elegance is damaged. If the wife works, the family is ruined. If the wife works, the veil is ruined. If the wife works, society is ruined.”

It’s worth noting that the majority of Bangladesh’s workforce in the garment factories, which have played a significant role in the country’s economic growth, comprises women. However, traditional patriarchal beliefs still persist in this predominantly Muslim nation.

Tanzim’s comments elicited a strong response, with feminist writer Jannatun Nayeem Prity based in Paris emphasizing that many of the Bangladesh team’s jerseys are manufactured in factories primarily staffed by women. She expressed her disappointment, stating, “I feel sorry for you that you don’t consider your mother a normal human being.”