Where did the women go?: Mass uprising protesters slam govt for ignoring women at policymaking level

Despite men and women playing equal roles in the July-August mass uprising, there is a glaring lack of female leaders at the policymaking level, mass uprising protesters said on Friday (22 November). 

Speaking at a dialogue titled "Where did the women go?" at the National Press Club in Dhaka, female protesters from across the country criticised the interim government and authorities concerned for leaving out women at decision-making levels.

"After all these days since the uprising, it is clear that there has been a successful attempt to marginalise women," Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Spokesperson Umama Fatema said on the occasion.

"When the boys were detained [during the movement], we girls led the way. But after 5 August, I completely vanished from the scenario. The boys were being presented as heroes. I began to suffer from an identity crisis. At first, I thought this was just happening to me. But all the women students across the country who have participated in the movement have had the same experience," she said.

Furthermore, she went on to say, "Those who led the movement were targeted and harassed on social media. But no action was taken, further marginalising the women."

Also speaking on the occasion, Jannatul Ferdous Nipu, a student protester from Barishal, said, "Despite the equal roles of men and women in the movement, efforts are being made to marginalise women after the movement. There is no female student in the advisory council. Women have not been given the due recognition."

Describing her experience during the student movement, she said when they got instructions to do graffiti from the Anti-discrimination Student Movement leaders, they could not find anyone in Barishal. "No organisation came forward."

Jannatul said she and one of her female classmates got free paint from an artist who was not willing to do the graffiti themselves fearing reprisal. "We two decided to start painting graffiti on the walls of the BGB camp in Barishal."

The young protester also said she removed nearly two dozen splinters from an injured student who was shot during the movement.

Samia Akhter Jannat, a student who was injured in an attack on the Dhaka University campus on 15 July, said many people misbehaved with her parents because she participated in the movement. She later participated in the movement covering her face with a cloth so that no one would recognise her.

Calling for equal opportunities for women in state reforming, Samia said, "Has the state not seen the role of women in the movement? The state may not call us, but we will step up on our own."

Sabina, a labour leader in Ashulia, said, "Many workers have lost their jobs because they joined the protests during the July uprising. Many have given their lives. Their families have not been compensated. The workers are constantly having to protest and sacrifice blood for wages."

Also speaking at the event, physician Orthi Zukhrif, noted that the presence of women in the reform commissions is relatively low. "We believe there should be equal presence of women as men. There should be no discrimination."