Outlook

Violence against Women in Politics in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, reservation of special seats for women has ensured the representation of women in the parliament as well as in the local government. Currently, women can contest in the general seats as well. Since the restoration of democracy in 1991, participation of women in politics has gradually increased in Bangladesh.

However, among the different deterrent factors against participation of women in politics violence is one of the major factors. Violence particularly against women in politics can be attributed to both the state and the non-state actors. While participating in political activities, women are subjected to violence by the political opponents and by the law enforcing agencies as well.

In the ground of current situation, right to political activities are suspended in Bangladesh under the state of emergency¹. So, during this period of time there are no reported cases of violence against women in politics, as there is no scope of political assembly or other activities. However, if we go back before the period of emergency, we can see a number of violent incidents faced by women involved in politics though it is very difficult to ascertain the actual picture of such violence due to the insufficient reporting, documentation and authentic research findings in this regard.

However, in general the scenario of violence against women engaged in politics can be divided into two contexts: the urban and the rural context. In the urban context, the most common nature of violence against women involved in politics is the torture and assault of women activists by the police. Women political activists have been experiencing brutal actions used by the law-enforcement agencies since a long time back. A well-known example is that of lla Mitra who was subjected to police torture and other forms of indignities because of her participation in the Tebhaga peasant movement of 1946.The police attack on Motia Chowdhury, former MP and Minister for Agriculture in the Awami League cabinet in 2001, when she was taking part in a procession is another example of violence against women political activist in recent times as well.

Likewise, the year 2006 is also marked by the incidents of brutal police action against women activists. On 13 March 2006 the police severely charged baton on women activists at different spots in the capital during a half –day strike². On 27 August 2006, at least twelve women members of the Awami League including a Ward Commissioner of Dhaka City Corporation were injured and 30 were arrested in Dhaka city during the countrywide strike by the Fourteen Party Alliance, in spite of an order not to assault women political activists by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

On 21 September, at about 11 am the members of the Jubo Mohila League proceeded in a procession from the Metro Shopping Mall in Dhanmondi Dhaka during a countrywide strike called by the Fourteen Party Alliance. Police tried to prevent the march and suddenly started beating women activists. At least ten women were injured.

Against the above-described context, the rural one is quite different from the urban one. Though, in 1997 Bangladesh government took a positive step to ensure women’s participation in elected bodies at the local level by enacting a new law of direct election of women for three reserved ward member seats to each Union Parishad, female representatives are marginalized. In an overwhelmingly male dominated political environment, female representatives of local ward members hold subordinate position and cannot express their views freely. Moreover, rural women engaged in politics experience sexual harassment by their male colleagues. They are looked down upon as ‘second category’ members.

In the first five months of 1999, four Union Porishod members were sexually assaulted and raped. Local terrorists raped two of them. One of them was gang raped while members of the same Porishod raped one. Both women filed charges against the rapists but backed down after the threat of further retribution. The police took no legal action and did not file any charges³.

Beyond the course of their political activities, women also face violence individually because of their political involvement. Though the media, human and women's rights organizations seriously condemn these incidents, specifically the manner and the approach of the male members of police in dispersing the women gatherings, the Governments are unlikely to take any step against the allegations of violence against women engaged in politics.