Feminism in Bangladesh

Feminists on

Other Sites:

Farida Akhter

Taslima Nasreen

Begum Khaleda Zia

Other Feminists:

Internet Sites:

SAWNET: South Asian Women's Net can be accessed here.

Narigrantha Prabartana, the first feminist publishing house in Bangladesh, has a homepage here.

Introduction

This page contains General information, Economics, Literature, Politics, and Religion in Bangladesh.



Women for Women in Bangladesh

by Mahmuda Islam

[Copyright 1998 Mahmuda Islam.]

One of the most important women's groups in Bangladesh is Women for Women: A Research and Study Group, located in Dhaka. It is a pioneer non=government, non-profit, voluntary women's organization, engaged in research and public education programs on gender issues with a view to enhancing the status of women. It was established in 1973 by a group of committed woman professionals, representing a variety of academic disciplines. The Group strongly felt the need for developing a sound information base for identifying the issues relating to the disadvantaged status of women in Bangladesh and for creating public awareness with a view to ameliorating the existing situation. Since then, Women For Women has been engaged in research, information, dissemination, advocacy awareness and motivational programs.

The objectives of Women for Women are:

1. To create awareness among people of Bangladesh, particularly policy planners and public functionaries, about the need for enhancing women's status and molding public opinion for action against the oppression and exploitation of women.
2. To organize, undertake and promote research and study in all areas of women's life in general, and to focus on the specific problems impeding their integration in development efforts in particular, keeping in view the national priorities.
3. To be a forum for effective advocacy for gender equity through dissemination of policy-oriented research findings concerning women through publications, research, seminars and exchange forums.
4. To inform and educate a wider audience about critical issues, current concerns and to promote interaction through publications and national conventions.
5. To establish and develop linkages and networking with similar groups at home and abroad.
6. To create and develop gender-sensitivity among planners, public functionaries, development agency personnel and program implementors thorugh relevant gender training programs.
7. To extend cooperation and consultancy services to the government as well as to other national and international agencies involved in the area of women and development.

The activities of Women for Women include seminars, workshops, conferences, national conventions, library development, and publications. You can contact Women for Women through Dr. Mahmuda Islam, General Secretary at this postal address: Women for Women, 1/2 Sukrabad, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh.



Bibliography

[Some of this information was provided by Mahmuda Islam.]

General Information

Abdullah, Tahrunnessa A. Village Women of Bangladesh -- Prospects for Change: A Study. Franklin Book Co., 1981.

Ahmad, Parveen, Mahmuda Islam, and Roushan Jahan, ed. Disadvantaged Children in Bangladesh: Some Reflections. 1981.*

Akanda, Latifa, ed. Eshon 1984. 1984.*

Akanda, Latifa and Roushan Jahan, ed. Women for Women: Collected Articles 1983. 1983.*

Akanda, Latifa and Ishrat Shamim. Women's Issues I: Women and Violence: A Comparative Study of Rural and Urban Violence Against Women in Bangladesh. 1985.*

Akanda, Latifa, Khaleda Salahuddin, Meherunnessa Islam, Ishrat Shamim, and Feroza Begum, ed. Eshon 1992. 1992.*

Akanda, Latifa, Jahanara Huq, and N. Fyzennessa, ed. Ekatturer Prachchanno Prachchad. (in Bangla) 1987.*

Akhter, Farida. Resisting Norplant: Women's Struggle in Bangladesh Against Coercion and Violence. Narigrantha Prabartana.

Akhter, Farida. Women and Trees. Narigrantha Prabartana.

Begum, Hasna. Women in the Developing World: Thoughts and Ideals. Sterling Pub., 1990.

Board of Coordinators, ed. Training Course on Research Methodology and Women's Issues. 1985.*

Board of Writers. Women for Women: Women and Education 1978. 1978.*

Board of Writers. Women for Women: Bangladesh. 1975.*

Chen, Martha Alter. A Quiet Revolution: Women in Transition in Rural Bangladesh. Schenkman Books, 1983.

Chowdhury, Najma, Hamida Akhtar Begum, Mahmuda Islam, and Nazmunnessa Mahtab, ed. Nari O Rajneeti. (in Bangla) 1994.*

Duza, Asfia, Jahanara Huq, Sayeda Rowshan Qadir, and Khaleda Salahuddin, ed. Education and Gender Equity: Bangladesh. 1992.*

Hossain, Sara, Tania Amir, Khaleda Khatun, Sultana Kamal, and Sultana Akhta. "The Suppression of Violence against Women and Children Bill 1998, Some Suggestions for Changes." Daily Star (Dhaka) (23 April 1998).

Huq, Jahanara and Hamida Begum, ed. Nari O Ganomaddhyam. (in Bangla) 1987.*

Huq, Jahanara and Roushan Jahan, ed. Women and Health 1985.*

Islam, Mahmuda. Bibliography on Bangladeshi Women with Annotation. (second edition) 1984.*

Islam, Mahmuda. Folk Medicine and Rural Women in Bangladesh. 1979.*

Islam, Mahmuda. Whither Women's Studies in Bangladesh? 1994.*

Islam, Mahmuda. Women, Health and Culture 1985.*

Islam, Shamima, ed. Exploring the Other Half: Field Research with Rural Women in Bangladesh. 1982.*

Islam, Shamima. Indigenous Abortion Practitioners in Rural Bangladesh: Women Abortionists, Their Perceptions and Practices. 1980.*

Jahan, Roushan. Hidden Danger: Women and Family Violence in Bangladesh. 1994.*

Morris, Jennifer. "The Changing Face of Women in Bangladesh." Slant (Spring 1997).

Mullins, Jim and Alice Boatwright. "Banchte Shekha: Women Helping Women in Bangladesh." [You can read this article here.]

UBINIG. Nayakrishi Andolon. Narigrantha Prabartana.

UBINIG. On Shahaj Way to Ananda. Narigrantha Prabartana.

UBINIG. Trafficking in Women and Children: The Case of Bangladesh. Narigrantha Prabartana.

UBINIG. Violence of Population Control. Narigrantha Prabartana.

White, Sarah C. Arguing with the Crocodile: Gender and Class in Bangladesh. Zed Books, 1992.

Women for Women. Empowerment: A Journal of Women for Women. 1994.*

Women for Women. Empowerment of Women: Nairobi to Beijing (1985-1995). 1995.*

Women for Women. Karmashala Protibedon Bangladesher Grameen Trinamul Mahilader Drishtite Nari Khamatayan. (in Bangla) 1995.*

Women for Women. Mainstreaming Women in the Fourth Five Year Plan: A Suggested Approach. 1989.*

Women for Women. Nari O Unnayan Prashongik Parishangkhan. (in Bangla) 1995.*

Women for Women. Union Porishode Nari Prekhit Rajnoitik Khamatayan. (in Bangla) 1995.*



Economics

Ahmad, Parveen. Income Earning as Related to the Changing Status of Village Women in Bangladesh. 1979.*

Begum, Hamida, Najma Chowdhury, Jahanara Huq, Salma Khan, and Rasheda Choudhury, ed. Women and National Planning in Bangladesh. 1990.*

Duza, Asfia and Hamida A. Begum. Emerging New Accents: A Perspective of Gender and Development in Bangladesh. 1993.*

Huq, Jahanara and Mahmuda Islam. Women Development and Technology. 1988.*

Huq, Jahanara, Hamida Begum, Khaleda Salahuddin, and S. Rowshan Qadir, ed. Women in Bangladesh: Some Socio-Economic Issues. 1983.*

Novartis Foundation. "Gender Dimensions of Poverty in Bangladesh." [You can read this article here.]

Qadir, S. Rowshan and Mahmuda Islam. Women Representatives at the Union Level as Change Agents of Development. 1987.*

Salahuddin, Khaleda and Ishrat Shamim. Women in Urban Informal Sector: Employment Pattern Activity Types and Problems. 1992.*

Shamim, Ishrat and Khaleda Salahuddin. Energy and Water Crisis in Rural Households: Linkages with Women's Work and Time. 1994.*

Viswanath, Vanita. Building Partnerships for Poverty Reduction. World Bank, 1995.

Women for Women. Environment and Development: Gender Prespectives. 1995.*

World Bank. Bangladesh: Strategies for Enhancing the Role of Women in Economic Development. World Bank, 1990.



Literature

Azim, Firdous and Niaz Zaman. Infinite Variety: Women in Society and Literature. Univ. of Queensland Press, 1995.

Hossain, Rokeya Sakhawat. Sultana's Dream: And Selections from the Secluded Ones. Feminist Press, 1988.

Nasrin, Taslima. The Game in Reverse: Poems. George Braziller, 1995.



Politics

Chowdhury, Najma, Hamida Akhtar Begum, Mahmuda Islam, and Nazmunnessa Mahtab, ed. Women and Politics 1994.*

Huq, Jahanara, Ishrat Shamim, Najma Chowdhury, and Hamida Akhtar Begum, ed. Women in Politics and Bureaucracy. 1995.*

Women for Women. Women and Politics: Empowerment Issues -- A Seminar Report. 1995*.

Women for Women. Women and Politics: Orientation of Four Political Parties on Women's Empowerment Issues. 1995.*

Women for Women. Workshop Report Empowerment: Voice of Grassroots Women in Bangladesh. 1995.*

Women for Women and UNICEF. Situation of Women in Bangladesh 1979. 1979.*



Religion

Bhuiyan, Rabia. Legal Rights of Hindu Women in Marriage and Divorce. (in Bangla and English) 1986.*

Jahan, Roushan, ed. and trans. Inside Seclusion: The Avarodhbasini of Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain. 1981.*

Kotalova, Jitka. Belonging to Others: Cultural Construction of Womanhood Among Muslims in a Village in Bangladesh. Coronet Books, 1993.



*You can order this book from Women for Women, 1/2 Sukrabad, Dhaka 1207, BANGLADESH.