Afghan girls return to school in Herat after Taliban takeover

Afghan girls return to school in Herat after Taliban takeover

Special Desk :    |    ০৫:০৬ পিএম, ২০২১-০৮-১৮

Within a few days of the Taliban's takeover, girls clad in white hijabs and black tunics crowded into classrooms in Herat.

During the first few minutes of school, the students were running through hallways and conversing in courtyards and it was easy to forget about the turmoil that has engulfed the country these past two weeks.

Just days after the collapse of government forces and the local militia, AFP cameramen filmed the scenes. Many feared they would be banned under Taliban rule.

As Roqia expressed, many students would like to see progress like that of other countries.

Peace is the best thing for our country. As long as the Taliban keep security in place, we hope the country will be safe."

Due to its proximity to the Iranian border, Herat's ancient Silk Road city has long been a cosmopolitan exception to more conservative centers.

During this time, the streets were more open for women and girls, and a city famed for poetry and arts had a large number of schools and colleges.

Still, its future is uncertain in the long run.

When the Taliban ruled Afghanistan in the 1990s, women were denied employment and education because of the hardline version of sharia law they imposed.

There was a ban on women leaving home without a man or full-face covers in public.

Where do we go from here?

In cities and stadiums, public executions, including stoning for adultery, were practiced.

With the Taliban back in power, it is unclear what the future holds for women.

Publicly, the Taliban are attempting to push the narrative that they have watered down some of their more extreme positions, with their spokesman late Tuesday announcing an official pardon for "everyone" involved in the war.

During the group's first official press conference in Kabul since retaking power, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the erstwhile insurgents were "committed to letting women work by the principles of Islam".

Asked what the difference was between the movement ousted 20 years ago and the Taliban of today, he said: "If the question is based on ideology, and beliefs, there is no difference... but if we calculate it based on experience, maturity, and insight, no doubt there are many differences.

"The steps today will be positively different from the past steps," he added.

Still, people have been entering public life cautiously, with women largely absent from the streets of Kabul and men trading their Western clothes for more traditional Afghan garb.

There remains massive concern globally about the Taliban's brutal human rights record -- and tens of thousands of Afghans are still trying to flee the country as the group settles into power.

After just days at the helm, it remains unclear if there is any official education policy or whether talks with schools have been held by the Taliban.

However, during an interview with Britain's Sky News this week, another Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen offered assurances on the topic.

Women "can get education from primary to higher education -- that means university", he said.

Thousands of schools in areas captured by the Taliban were still operational, he added.

"Our dear students are attending their classes in large numbers while adhering to the Islamic hijab," she said.

"Exams are continuing."