Every political party should have a code of conduct to ensure women’s safety: Zaima Rahman

Every political party should have a formal code of conduct to ensure the safety of women, who are active in politics, within their respective organisations, Zaima Rahman, daughter of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairman Tarique Rahman, has said.

She made the remarks at a roundtable held at the BIISS (Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies) auditorium in the capital on Sunday.

The event, titled “Women in the Struggle for Democracy: Contributions and the Bangladesh of Tomorrow”, was organised by Women in Democracy (WIND).

Elaborating on her views, Zaima Rahman said, “From a safety perspective, if anything happens to a woman leader or a student leader, political parties should protect her through a legal code of conduct. That is, if a woman faces harm, the party must take responsibility and stand by her, ensuring her protection.”

Zaima Rahman, who studied law in London, returned to Bangladesh after 17 years and has recently become actively involved in politics by taking part in election campaigns in support of her father in the upcoming parliamentary election.

The granddaughter of former prime minister Khaleda Zia said that while it is relatively easier for men to establish themselves in Bangladeshi politics, it remains far more difficult for women. For this reason, she stressed that political parties must take greater responsibility in bringing women forward.

She added that parties must provide support and training opportunities to help women rise within politics, emphasising that all political parties should take on this responsibility.

“If there is no mentor, like the shade of a tall palm tree, how will the small sapling ever grow into a big tree?” Zaima Rahman remarked.

She also underscored the importance of providing financial support to women leaders, saying they should be given opportunities to contest for parliamentary seats or positions in local government elections based on merit.

Alongside institutional support, she noted that a change in societal attitudes towards women leaders is equally essential.

Speaking at the roundtable, Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh, raised concerns over a trend of pushing women out of leadership roles ahead of the upcoming 13th parliamentary election.

“Women have held leadership positions in many spheres for years. But over the last 18 months, it increasingly feels as though there is an attempt to push them back. Are all these women now expected to retreat? This is a clear move towards divide and rule,” she said.

Farah Kabir added that citizens must decide in the 12 February election what kind of leadership they want for the country.

Emphasising the need to change Bangladesh’s political culture, she said that women are often told they cannot lead because of this “toxic culture”. Ending this culture, she argued, requires women themselves to step forward and participate actively in politics.

She also alleged that political parties have historically failed to play any meaningful role in promoting women’s political participation.

Lawyer Sara Hossain, another panellist, said that although the July Charter and the referendum included commitments to eliminating discrimination, there has been little clarity on how these promises would be strengthened and implemented.

She criticised recent statements by some women who have claimed they are comfortable being subordinate to men and accepting male authority. She argued that such views should be directly rejected so they do not gain further legitimacy.

While acknowledging achievements within existing laws, Sara Hossain cautioned against erasing all legal frameworks under the pretext of dismantling authoritarianism.

Lawyer Sarwat Siraj Shukla observed that over the past 18 months, women have been forced to become adept at “self-defence”, noting a sharp rise in online and offline slut-shaming and harassment.

Speaking at the roundtable, labour leader Kalpona Akter said, “We want whoever comes to power through the election to be respectful towards women. Every time women are pushed back, they fight back harder. If we are pushed back two steps, we will move forward four.”

Freedom fighter Lutfa Hasan Rozy said that the conditions required for equal rights still do not exist in Bangladeshi society, and that women must take the lead in building a democratic culture.

Umama Fatema, former central coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, said that women who played a leading role in the mass uprising were sidelined after 5 August.

Political parties are now questioning women in various ways, she observed.

Umama Fatema urged collective action to prevent cyberbullying and harassment targeting women.

DUCSU (Dhaka University Central Students’ Union) executive member Hema Chakma said that women’s conditions have not improved even after the July uprising. “When women contribute in different sectors, their work is not celebrated. Instead, there is excessive scrutiny of what they do, what they wear, and they are often silenced when they speak.”

The discussion was moderated by television presenter Kazi Jesin. Other speakers included Jahangirnagar University professors Mirza Taslima, Nahrin Islam Khan and Shamima Sultana; parliamentary candidate for Dhaka-12 Taslima Akhter; journalist Zyma Islam; and DUCSU research and publication affairs secretary Sanjida Ahmed Tonni, among others.