Interview: Sanjida Islam
I will work against harassment by the 'bot brigade'
Sanjida Islam is contesting in the election from the Dhaka-14 constituency as a BNP candidate with the 'sheaf of paddy' symbol. She is the coordinator of Maayer Dak, an organisation of the families of enforced disappearance victims. This interview was conducted by Asif Howlader.
Your brother was a victim of enforced disappearance. Defying threats and intimidation, you formed an organisation called Maayer Dak to campaign continuously against enforced disappearances. Now, in the electoral arena, your opponent himself had once been a victim of enforced disappearance
Sanjida Islam: The Maayer Dak movement will continue until justice is ensured for all victims of enforced disappearance, both those who never returned and those who did. In that sense, we are all one family.
Now I am in the electoral and political arena contesting with the 'sheaf of paddy' symbol. Through this election, we want to move towards a democratic system of governance. But our rival party has never worked as a force in favour of Bangladesh. For the people, for the people of Bangladesh, we see only one symbol. That symbol is the 'sheaf of paddy'.
We have fought for the people of this country. Our leader Khaleda Zia did not leave Bangladesh; she stood by the people of this country.
What are your commitments for women?
Sanjida Islam: In this election, more than half of the voters are women. There are many women workers in my constituency, low-income women who work in different factories. If elected, I will work to improve the quality of life of women.
I will also try to ensure that the “bot brigade” (organised smear campaigns run through fake accounts on Facebook) cannot harass women on various social media platforms.
What factors do you think will shape the electoral equation in the Dhaka-14 constituency?
Sanjida Islam: Women voters will definitely be a major factor. And for us, the biggest factor is that we are a force in favour of Bangladesh.
We have fought for the people of this country. Our leader Khaleda Zia did not leave Bangladesh; she stood by the people of this country.
Besides you, several others sought the BNP nomination in the Dhaka-14 constituency. Are those who did not receive the nomination cooperating with you in the election campaign?
Sanjida Islam: Alhamdulillah, those who were aspirants have been with us since the nomination was announced, and they are standing firmly by our side.
There is a strong BNP rebel candidate contesting against you.
Sanjida Islam: That is his personal choice. We no longer consider him part of the BNP. He has been expelled from the party.
Threats of cases and attacks against us are still continuing. Our rivals and the rebel candidate are acting together in this regard
How do you see the voting environment, and how confident are you about your victory?
Sanjida Islam: The narrative being spread that the administration is leaning in our favour is not correct. As for the voting environment, threats of cases and attacks against us are still continuing. Our rivals and the rebel candidate are acting together in this regard.
Thank you for taking the time despite your busy campaign schedule.
Sanjida Islam: Thank you as well.