Jobless office for women ward councillors | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Friday
July 11, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2025
Jobless office for women ward councillors

Bangladesh

Sadia Rahman
22 January, 2020, 05:50 pm
Last modified: 22 January, 2020, 05:56 pm

Related News

  • PR being forcibly introduced, Bangladeshis barely understand system: Rizvi
  • Bangladesh Election: EC forms five committees to accelerate preparations 
  • 'Backbone of economy will break': Fakhrul says govt should've worked seriously with more qualified people on US tariffs
  • CA orders law enforcers to complete all election preparations by December
  • International observers offer support to EC in Bangladesh's expat voting drive

Jobless office for women ward councillors

Three years after raising the issue, female ward councillors still lack dedicated support staffs

Sadia Rahman
22 January, 2020, 05:50 pm
Last modified: 22 January, 2020, 05:56 pm
Posters of women councilor candidates for forthcoming DNCC election hang from ropes at Kochukhet area in the capital. The photo was taken yesterday. Photo: Saikat Bhadra/TBS
Posters of women councilor candidates for forthcoming DNCC election hang from ropes at Kochukhet area in the capital. The photo was taken yesterday. Photo: Saikat Bhadra/TBS

Fatema Akter Doly used to be the ward councillor of Goran, Meradia and Basabo. Though she contended for the position last term, she is not running for it this year. During her service over the last five years, she realised there is little chance for her to serve the public in this capacity.  

Fatema said that she finds the position insignificant and it would make no difference if it ceased to exist. During her tenure, she had no power and no work was assigned to her. At the eighth corporation meeting – two years into her role as councillor – she complained that she did not have a dedicated staff to support her role, and this issue remains unresolved.

Tired of the system, she ended up deciding not to run for the position again.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

With the election around the corner, The Business Standard spoke to other reserved-seat female ward councillors who are again competing for the position this year.

Despite running for a second time, all of them agreed that they do not have any of the power a ward councillor should have.

Nasrin Rashid Putul of Armanitola said, "Not only do I have fewer possibilities to work, but the male ward councillors are hostile towards me."   

Razia Sultana Eti, reserved-seat councillor for Kollyanpur, Gabtoli and Baghbari, tried to elucidate how the problem arises. She explained though reserved-seat councillors run for election – through the same process as for general ward councillors – people continue to define the contenders by their restrictive "reserved" designation.

Perusing the records of corporation meetings revealed that reserved-seat female ward councillors have demanded equal treatment on several occasions.

At the eighth council meeting, reserved-seat member Helen Akter complained that reserved-seat female councillors' statements are not recorded in meeting proceedings or minutes. She demanded this be rectified as soon as possible.

Helen has been vocal in demanding the equal treatment of reserved-seat ward councillors and general ward councillors, because both run for election to attain their positions.

The constituencies of reserved-seat female ward councillors comprise three wards, whereas the constituencies of general ward councillors cover just one ward.

At three meetings over five years, Fatema and Helen urged the mayor to include reserved-seat female councillors in the implementation of development projects.

Aleya Sarwar Daisy, reserved-seat ward councillor of Mohammadpur, Lalmatia and Rayerbazar, also mentioned the inequality such councillors experience in executing official powers.

She demanded that reserved-seat female ward councillors be allowed to issue birth certificates.

In city corporation law, there is no gendered distribution of responsibilities, and laws apply to the entire council as a whole. However, this has created a lot of confusion among the councillors.

When the reserved-seat female councillors demand to be included in work, the male general ward councillors are confused.

Abdul Kadir, a general ward councillor from Gendaria, thinks reserved-seat female councillors should not issue birth certificates as this is the work of male ward councillors.

His approach returns us to Nasrin Rashid Putul's initial statement.

Considering female competitors' recurrent demands for equal responsibilities and power in their wards, The Business Standard spoke to Rokeya Kabir, executive director of Bangladesh Nari Progoti Shongho.

Rokeya Kabir has been advocating for women's equal participation in politics for years. She said, "When it comes to enjoying the rights and power in politics, women are still marginalised by the patriarchy." She added one depends on one's party to be nominated.

Rokeya said in the early '90s she saw women were afraid to speak up for their political rights –irrespective of their political affiliation. They feared they might not be nominated if they asked for their rights.

Then, she said, even today, there is a tendency to allot fewer seats in the general section for women, and to instead send them to reserved seats. Sometimes vengeful nominees who fail to be nominated get their female family members to run for election, so that the men retain power by indirect means.

She said, there is no other way than speaking out for one's political rights if one wants to overcome marginalisation.

Top News

Dhaka city corporation / election

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Bangladesh's delegation, led by Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin, began high-level negotiations with USTR Ambassador Jamieson Greer at 9pm Bangladesh time on Thursday (10 July). Photo: Collected from the Facebook handle of Golam Mortoza, Press Minister at the Bangladesh Embassy in the US
    No need to worry as US tariff talks ongoing: Fouzul tells biz leaders
  • Economist Abul Barkat; Photo: Courtesy
    Economist Abul Barkat arrested in graft case
  • Representational image. Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain/TBS
    Explainer: Why SSC pass rate hit a 17-year low

MOST VIEWED

  • Graphics: TBS
    BB raises startup fund limit, drops upper age barrier
  • Workers pack undergarments at the packing section of a garment factory in Ashulia, on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, April 19, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Fatima Tuj Johora
    After US tariffs, jobs hang by a thread in Bangladesh's garments sector
  • Photo: Mohammad Minhaj Uddin/TBS
    SSC, equivalent results: Pass rate drops to 68.45%, GPA-5 also declines
  • File photo of containers at Chattogram port/TBS
    US buyers push Bangladeshi exporters to share extra tariff costs
  • Govt vehicle purchase, foreign trip, new building construction banned: Finance ministry
    Govt vehicle purchase, foreign trip, new building construction banned: Finance ministry
  • Students sit for SSC exam at Motijheel Girls' High School on 10 April 2025. Photo: Mehedi Hasan/TBS
    SSC exam results out: Here's how you can check online and via SMS

Related News

  • PR being forcibly introduced, Bangladeshis barely understand system: Rizvi
  • Bangladesh Election: EC forms five committees to accelerate preparations 
  • 'Backbone of economy will break': Fakhrul says govt should've worked seriously with more qualified people on US tariffs
  • CA orders law enforcers to complete all election preparations by December
  • International observers offer support to EC in Bangladesh's expat voting drive

Features

Photo: Collected/BBC

What Hitler’s tariff policy misfire can teach the modern world

6h | The Big Picture
Illustration: TBS

Behind closed doors: Why women in Bangladesh stay in abusive marriages

9h | Panorama
Purbachl’s 144-acre Sal forest is an essential part of the area’s biodiversity. Within it, 128 species of plants and 74 species of animals — many of them endangered — have been identified. Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain/TBS

A forest saved: Inside the restoration of Purbachal's last Sal grove

9h | Panorama
Photo: Rajib Dhar/TBS

11 July 2024: Riot vehicles, water cannons hit the streets as police crack down on protesters

2h | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

'Hypocrisy' will not continue, Iran tells IAEA

'Hypocrisy' will not continue, Iran tells IAEA

5h | TBS World
OpenAI to release web browser in challenge to Google Chrome

OpenAI to release web browser in challenge to Google Chrome

5h | TBS World
Will the title 'Honorable and Excellency' be abolished?

Will the title 'Honorable and Excellency' be abolished?

6h | TBS Today
July Declaration must be constitutionally recognized: Akhtar Hossain

July Declaration must be constitutionally recognized: Akhtar Hossain

5h | TBS Today
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net