Discussants at a roundtable on Saturday complained that male-dominated traditional politics shuttered the post-uprising aspirations for women empowerment.
A recently established platform Women in Democracy hosted the roundtable at the聽Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies聽on Saturday afternoon, highlighting social and economic factors behind the narrowing space for women in politics.
Participating in the discussion, Bangladesh Nationalist Party-backed former lawmaker for reserved seat Nilufar Chowdhury Moni said that women struggled to upgrade their political profile if not blessed with nepotism.
鈥楾raditional patriarchal politics does not give space to women politicians,鈥� she said.
Jahangirnagar University anthropology professor Mirza Taslima Sultana observed that patriarchy became stronger after the 2024 uprising.
Professor Nahreen Islam Khan, a geography and environment teacher from the same university, questioned information adviser Mahfuj Alam, who was present as chief guest, the interim government鈥檚 alleged silence in face of the wave of misogynist attacks in the past one and a half year.
In response, Mahfuj alleged that political parties patronised the wave of 鈥榝alse protests鈥� ensued in the turmoil of post-uprising months and did not cooperate with the interim government to take measures against the misogynist attacks.
Citing persistent religious beliefs and social norms about women鈥檚 empowerment and their share in inherited property, he recommended 鈥榥egotiation and dialogue with religious groups, political parties and rights campaigners鈥� as 鈥榗rucial to adopt modernity鈥�.
He added that pro-women policy would not be implemented if the entire political establishment was not reformed.
Political scientist Dilara Chowdhury remarked that the July National Charter was supposed to be inclusive but it neglected women rights.
Saying that political parties as the gatekeepers of democracy did not give women access to policymaking and representation, Dilara criticised the BNP for nominating a few women, only 3 per cent of its total candidates so far for contesting the 13th Jatiya Sangsad polls.
Renowned photographer Shahidul Alam also questioned the interim government鈥檚 willingness to adopt recommendations from its Women Reform Commission.
Nagorik Oikko president Mahmudur Rahman Manna said that firm commitment from political parties was critical in changing social perception against women empowerment.
Moderated by journalist Kazi Jesin, National Citizen Party organisers Samantha Sharmin, Tasnim Jara, former member of Electoral Reform Commission Nadia Nivin, Dhaka University sociology professor Samina Lutfa, lawyer Rasna Imam, adviser to the BNP acting chairman Mahdi Amin, trade union leader Taslima Akhter, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami activist Marsia Marzina Maria, garment worker Parul Begum, Amar Bangladesh Party leader Nasrin Sultana Mily, Ganosamhati Andolon chief coordinator Zonayed Saki, Narir Rajnoitik Adhikar Forum organiser Mahrukh Mahiuddin, among others, also spoke.
