Businesswomen dominant in contest for reserved seats

Most of the female ward councillor candidates in the reserved seats of the Dhaka North and South city corporation elections belong to the category of businesspeople.

Housewives come up next and there are just a handful of lawyers and teachers in the fray, official records show. And there is only one candidate in the race, who is a full-time politician.

According to the election commission website, 277 women are contesting for the reserved seats in the 28 April elections. Of them, 84 are businesswomen. The number of housewives in the race is 64, that of social workers 12, that of lawyers 11 and the number of teachers is six.

There are also private service holders, a managing director of a brokerage house, manager of a real estate company, owner of an online media firm and studio. Owners of shops, tin-sheds, houses and commercial buildings also joined the contest.

Among the reserved seat candidates, 19 manufacture and sell fashion clothing and run beauty parlours. Other businesses among the candidates include sand-filling, trading in raw and processed rubber, metal-ware, CNG auto-rickshaw rentals and spares, electronic goods, mediating contacts, taking commission on jobs, contractor’s work, share trade, goods supply, storage, fast-food and fruit supply.

The city polls further confirm that there is a low percentage of women's participation in national politics despite the presence of women in the top positions in major political parties.

Apu Ukil, general secretary of the Awami League affiliated Jubo Mahila League, said the party's central committee, consulting with the women's front Mahila Awami League and Jubo Mahila Awami League, has given support to dedicated activists in this regard.

However, the report from the party's office shows that among the women councillors backed by the Awami League in the Dhaka South reserved seats, 10 are housewives, six businesspersons and one is a teacher. In Dhaka North, three are businesswomen and three are housewives.

The BNP has officially given its support to 29 women candidates in the reserved seats of the two cities. In the BNP’s case, too, none is a full-time politician. The candidates include housewives, lawyers, businesspersons and building owners.

Shampa Basu is an exception. She is a civil engineer from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). She is a member of Bangladesher Samajtanrik Dal (BSD). Her declaration states she is a full-time politician. She will use her earnings from tuitions and contributions from friends and relations for election expenses. The party will provide Shampa with Tk 50,000. She is contesting from ward no. 5 in the South.

Of the women councillor candidates in the two cities, 52 are self-educated or can sign their names and 31 have graduate or post graduate degrees. The others range from those who have studied up to class V or have passed their higher secondary certificate (HSC) examinations.

Among the youngest candidates is Rosy Joyeta, 25 years old. She is a businesswoman and the head of an NGO run on government funding. She told Prothom Alo that she is contesting the elections so she can serve the people. She is affiliated with Awami League politics. She is contesting from ward no. 11 in the North.

The women candidates who are businesspersons, working in various firms or in other professions, are all bearing their own election expenses. Selima Khan, who is contesting from ward no. 4 in Dhaka North, is spending the highest amount of money. She is a medical technologist and declares she will spend Tk 1 million in the elections.

And 26 of the candidates will take funds from relations, including their husbands, children, brothers, sisters, brothers-in-law, sons-in-law, and son’s father-in-law.

Zebunnessa, an SSC-passed candidate of ward no. 4 in Dhaka North, and Mullika Zaman of ward no. 3 in Dhaka South, will use money left over from household expenses, to fund their election expenditures.

Armeen Akhter of ward no. 11 is using her marriage settlement money for the polls.

There are cases against 12 of the candidates. In Dhaka North, Swapna Akhter of ward no. 2, Shamsunnahar and Shireen Shanti of ward no. 3, Syeda Milly Zakaria of ward no. 4, Najma Kabir of ward no. 5, Rokeya Sultana Tamanna of ward no. 10, and SM Seema of ward no. 11, all have cases against them. There was a case against lawyer Rukhsana Akhter at the Rupganj police station but that has been settled. There was a narcotics case against Beauty Chowdhury, candidate of ward no. 11 in Dhaka North, but the charges were later withdrawn.

In Dhaka South, there are cases against Suraiya Begum of ward no. 12, Rehana Yasmin Dolly, Mumtaz Chowdhury and Rabeya Shaheed of ward no. 13, and Akhi Akhter of ward no. 19. Nine of them face charges of joining in unlawful gathering and obstructing government work. Lawyer Rokeya Sultana faces a case under Article 4.5 of the Speedy Trial Act. Rabeya Shaheed faces charges of forging property document and fraud.

"Professional" social workers: Khaleda Bahar Beauty, wife of Bangladesh Television's deputy director general (programmes) Bahauddin Khelon, is contesting from ward no. 7 in Dhaka North. In her declaration she stated he profession to be housewife and social worker. When asked what sort of social work she did, she replied, "I do not do any significant social work, but I have permission for a private TV channel, Channel 52. I am the managing director of that channel."

Farida is a candidate of Ward no. 4 in Dhaka North. She also professes to be a social worker. When asked, she said one would have to go to her house to find out about this. She and her husband had lived abroad for long. She was involved in all sorts of movements and causes there. Now she will settle in the country to serve the people.