Direct election to reserved seats a must for empowerment of women

Bangladesh Mahila Parishad organises a roundtable on the occasion of its 34th founding anniversary at Cirdap auditorium in the city yesterday. PHOTO: STAR

Without direct election to the reserved seats, dynamic leadership from the women community will not be established, the participants told the roundtable organised by Bangladesh Mahila Parishad to mark its 34th founding anniversary at CIRDAP auditorium.

Gono Forum General Secretary Saifuddin Ahmed Manik said that without increasing women's participation in politics, empowerment of women would never be possible.

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"After the fall of autocratic ruler in 1990, we thought that democracy would get an institutional shape," Manik said. Without direct election to the seats reserved for women, democracy will never be strengthened as indirect election is an impediment to the dynamic leadership, he added.

Communist Party of Bangladesh General Secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim said that if the women community was not encouraged through reserved seats, they would never be able to come at forefront of the politics.

" Those who believe in democracy can never ignore the importance of direct election to the seats reserved for women for their empowerment," Selim said.

Direct election is a matter of principle as it will create true leadership from women community, he added.

Mahila Parishad General Secretary Aysha Khanom said it is a matter of regret that the government has ignored the demand for direct election though it promised to hold direct election to the reserved seats if voted to power.

" The women community constitutes not only half of voters but also plays an important role in country's economy," Ayesha Khanom said. If women are elected through indirect election, they can not act effectively, she added.

Former law minister Abdul Matin Khosru told the roundtable that without true representation of women parliamentary system couldn't function effectively.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) President Hasanul Hoq Inu said the direct election to the reserved seats is important for the empowerment of women.

" True representation of women in the parliament is yet to be ensured as our successive governments were either autocrats or inherited the state power," Inu said. Attitude of the political parties is the major obstacle to ensuring women's rights, he added.

Columnist ABM Musa said women would not be able to play effective role under the existing parliamentary system. He said pressure has to be put on political parties so that they nominate women as their candidates in parliamentary elections.

Presided over by Mahila Parishad President Hena Das, the roundtable was also addressed by the Bangladesh Observer Editor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Sommilita Samajik Andolon President Ajoy Roy, CPB President Monjurul Ahsan Khan and women activists.