As Bangladesh prepares for its first free and fair election in 17 years, women who were at the forefront of the revolution that ousted Sheikh Hasina are expressing disappointment and fear over the resurgence of Islamist politics and a lack of female candidates.
Jamaat e-Islami, an Islamist party that was banned under Hasina, is expected to win a historic share of the vote. The party has no female candidates, and its leader, Shafiqur Rahman, has made controversial statements, including that a woman could never lead the party as it is un-Islamic and comparing women's work to prostitution.
Women's rights activists worry that the rise of Islamist politics will erode hard-won freedoms. In rural areas, girls have been prevented from playing football, and women face harassment if they do not dress modestly. The party has proposed reducing women's working hours from eight to five, with the government subsidising lost income.
“Women’s sovereignty, our freedoms, our independence: all are at stake in this election,” said Zayba Tahzeeb, a 21-year-old physics student who attended a midnight march in Dhaka.
