As part of a joint initiative by Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP) and Bonhishikha- the Unlearn Gender, a divisional solidarity-building workshop was convened to advance an intergenerational and inclusive feminist movement. The multi-phase initiative included national dialogues, divisional risk-mapping workshops, and this current phase, facilitated by Mehnaz, Tasaffy Hossain, Segufa Hossain, Mehnaz Rahman, Samina Yasmin, Shiuti Sabur, Nova Ahmed, Sami Uddin, Anik Sinha, and Shima Moslem, focused on alliance-building, crisis management, and advocacy.
The workshop brought together participants across 8 divisions, with different professions, ages, and identities. Mehnaz welcomed participants, emphasizing collective movement-building. Fauzia Moslem (President, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad) focused the program within global frameworks like Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA) highlighting sustainability, digital rights, and climate justice. Rekha Saha (Legal Aid Secretary) noted that prior phases had produced two key advocacy tools: a Charter of Demand and a Position Paper. Sagufa Hossain stressed divisional networking, documentation, and policy engagement.
An interactive opening by Tasaffy Hossain used colour-based groups to map key focus areas including women’s rights, SRHR, disability rights, climate justice, and Indigenous rights, while noting gaps such as mental health and queer community issues.
Crisis and stakeholder mapping, facilitated by Segufa Hossain and Mehnaz Rahman, revealed diverse understandings of feminism—from challenging patriarchy to securing dignity and labour justice. Participants updated an issue based map covering Gender based Violence (GBV), digital risks, climate justice, disability, sex workers’ rights, and Dalit concerns.
Group work of the participants across divisions produced localized priorities: Rajshahi (digital surveillance, excluded communities), Rangpur (women’s safety), Sylhet (landless communities), Chattogram (Indigenous rights, GBV, climate/WASH, gender diversity, sex workers’ rights), and Dhaka (political repression, workplace discrimination).
A movement-building session conducted by Samina Yasmin and Seuty Sabur used a “survival island” exercise to demonstrate that solidarity requires diverse skills and shared labour. Nova Ahmed, Sami Uddin, and Anik Sinha introduced an incident reporting digital dashboard for secured documentation. Participants identified where solidarity has worked—bridging central and grassroots actors, collaborative advocacy, and supporting youth from underprivileged backgrounds. Samina Yasmin reflected that internal solidarity is essential where state support remains inadequate. The workshop reaffirmed that feminist movement-building depends on trust, collective strategy, and transforming unequal power dynamics.
