Samajik Protirodh Committee demands direct elections in reserved women’s seats in parliament
Speakers urge government to take adequate measures to ensure the safety of women by bringing those responsible for recent incidents of violence against women under the law
Samajik Protirodh Committee, a platform of 67 women, human rights and development based organisations, today (8 March) put forward a 14-point demand, including a direct election system for reserved women's seats in the parliament.
To mark the International Women's Day 2025, the committee organised a rally, cultural event, and gathering at the Central Shaheed Minar.
The 14-point charter was presented by Kazi Gulshan Ara Dipa of the Working Women.
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Speaking at the event, Fauzia Moslem, president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, called on the government to ensure law and order at any cost and demanded equal rights for women in property and inheritance.
She also emphasised the withdrawal of reservations on two clauses of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) treaty and the complete eradication of child marriage.
Khushi Kabir, coordinator of Nijera Kori, highlighted the rising incidents of sexual violence against women in buses and criticised the lack of proper legal actions against perpetrators.
She urged for a unified resistance movement against violence against women.
Shahnaz Sumi, director of Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha, emphasised that half of the country's population—women—are not safe anywhere. "The government should take urgent and effective measures to ensure women's security."
Shahida Parvin Shikha, general secretary of the National Women Workers' Trade Union Center, demanded strict legal action against those involved in violence against women.
The key demands include reforming discriminatory family laws to establish a unified family law, ensuring equal rights and co-ownership of property and assets for women, recognising unpaid domestic labour performed by women and incorporating it into GDP calculations, guaranteeing equal participation of women at all levels of policymaking, and fully implementing Article 90 of the Representation of the People Order.
In Bangladesh, 50 seats in the National Parliament are reserved for women in addition to the 300 general seats. These reserved seats are not directly elected by the public; instead, they are allocated to political parties based on their proportional representation in parliament. Members of Parliament (MPs) from the general seats vote to elect women MPs for the reserved seats.
