The Election Commission has assured that the gender discriminatory electoral symbols for women candidates would be removed from the list in the next Union Parishad elections.
EC Secretary Sirajul Islam came up with the statement while addressing a press briefing yesterday, a few hours after a delegation of women candidates termed the symbols humiliating and urged the commission for a revised allocation.
The EC secretary said: “The commission will not allocate these types of symbols, which is being considered as discriminatory towards women, in the next Union Parishad polls. Necessary changes will be brought in the election rules in this regard.”
Saying the symbols designated to women candidates for the upcoming municipality polls were not meant to discriminate them, rather it was done hurriedly, he said: “These symbols were picked uncautiously as the commission had to change the municipal election rules in a hurry in line with the amendment to the Municipal Act.
“This time the symbols cannot be changed as the schedule of the elections has already been announced and the ballot papers are printed.”
The EC secretary said he also received an instruction from the CEC to take off such election symbols in the future.
The EC designated different gender discriminatory symbols like gas stove, bangles, frocks and dolls as election symbols for the candidates of reserved women’s seats for the December 30 municipality polls.
A six-member delegation of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal yesterday submitted a written statement to the EC, protesting the symbols.
The delegation led by Shirin Sultana, general secretary of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal, went to the EC Secretariat and handed over a memorandum to Sirajul Islam.
The memorandum says: “These types symbols are shameful, unfortunate and discriminatory. Immediate initiatives should be taken in order to make women feel honoured.”
Earlier, the EC allocated 10 symbols for the reserved women councillor candidates of Dhaka North and South City Corporations; these are kettle, bird cage, tissue box, glass, betel leaf, glass bottle, radish, steel almirah, grinding stone, and cane stool.
The women councillor candidates, in a views exchange meeting, complained of gender discrimination and asked Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad why the EC chose these symbols.
However, the CEC then maintained silence over the issue.
