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Female protesters of the student-led mass uprising expressed their disappointment as women’s contribution to the uprising that forced Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee to India has not been properly recognised in the post-uprising time.

Thousands of women, including female students, were in the front line organising and leading the movement in different phases across Bangladesh but they mostly remain invisible in the post uprising activities to rebuild the country.

Contrary to their situation, two male coordinators, Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan secured positions in the council of advisers, leading the interim government formed after Hasina’s fall, as the representatives of the student force, while two male coordinators Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam are mostly visible in the forefront of activities of the platform that led the movement.

The 10 commissions formed by the interim government to bring reforms in different sectors have so far incorporated only seven women members among their 52 members, including the commission chiefs.

Female students’ protests on the night of July 14 across the universities against Hasina’s calling the quota protesters as ‘Razakars’ effected the paradigm shift that transformed the anti-discrimination student movement into a mass uprising,  witnessing countless women occupying the streets throughout the mass movement.

In interviews with ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· female protesters ascribed lack of recognition, discriminatory attitude, less space in organisations and institutions, patriarchal practice, violent political practices, family barriers, among other factors, to their invisibility in the post-uprising rebuilding process.

Maisha Maliha, student of Dhaka University and one of the leaders of the Students’ Movement Against Discrimination platform, said that women significantly and spontaneously joined the uprising.

Despite women played a major role in sustaining the movement their contributions were not properly recognised after the movement, she said.

The platform on October 22 announced a new four-member central convening committee making Hasnat Abdullah convener, Arif Sohel member secretary, Abdul Hannan Masud chief organiser and Umama Fatema spokesperson.

The platform’s list of its 158 coordinators and co-coordinators made in August showed that there was only one female among the first 23 coordinators. 

Umama Fatema did not respond to ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· queries about women’s contribution and recognition issue saying that she did not know anything about the matter.

In response to the query regarding a decline in women’s participation in the recent activities of the platform, a former coordinator Nusrat Tabassum said, ‘You should individually ask those who are not coming.’

Nazifa Jannat, a private university student and former coordinator, shared her experiences in the movement, saying that women’s  spontaneous and active participation accelerated the movement as a united force.

‘In many places, they were in the front line organising the movement and taking instant decision to further the movement,’ said Nazifa.

People from all walks of life became united during the movement going above gender, race and religion, she stated.

‘A division was created after the uprising. We saw that women were questioned about their appearance, clothes, etc,’ said Nazifa.

She pointed out a tendency to push women to the margin in patriarchal practices.

Regarding women’s reduced participation, Nazifa said, ‘Level playing field was not ensured for them after the movement.’

Samanta Shermeen, spokesperson for newly-formed Jatiya Nagarik Committee, a platform of youths who were at the forefront during the uprising, said that she also experienced a lack of participation of women in the front line.

She pointed out that rejecting or cornering women in leadership and decision making process was part of the socio-political system being practised for long.

‘Fascist practices in political parties and organisations need to be abolished,’ said Samanta, stressing that a new political settlement was critical to ensure equal opportunities for women and all backward communities according to their competence.

Founding member of Naripokkho, Shireen Huq, said that she was excited, impressed and inspired by the presence of so many young women in the movement. It was a natural expectation therefore that this would be reflected in the composition of the interim government.

‘We are disappointed. I am not sure what the reasons behind it are. There are four women advisers but no representation from the female students,’ said Shireen, who will lead the reform commission on women’s affairs.

‘The issue of the absence of women representation itself is an unrecognised issue,’ Shireen remarked.

She also emphasised gender-balanced representation in the reform commissions all of which have yet to be formed.

Echoing Shireen, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad general secretary Maleka Banu said that the issue of gender-balanced representation must be addressed without any delay.

‘We don’t want to see the absence of women’s voice in the reform committees. Their lack of representation in the students bodies is not expected either,’ said Maleka.