Female SAD coordinator quits politics citing harassment

Fatema Khanam Liza, a former coordinator of Students Against Discrimination (SAD) in Chattogram, has quit politics citing harassment by her fellow male activists.

In a Facebook live on Friday night, Fatema, also the former spokesperson of Chattogram unit of SAD, said the same men who stood in front to protect their fellow women activists from bullets during the July uprising are now harassing them.

The SAD leaders in Chattogram, including Khan Talat Mahmud Rafy, Rassel Ahmed and Rezaur Rahman, failed to take appropriate action against the online harassment of women, she said.

"I remain deeply concerned about the future of women politicians in Chattogram -- if a woman in this city dares to step into the political arena, I fear for what might await her," she told The Daily Star yesterday.

They may face violence, humiliation, disrespect and conspiracy from both within and outside her party, she said.

"I have personally experienced these countless times. I may not have fulfilled every goal with which I entered politics, but I have never betrayed the ideals of the July movement. My respect for the martyrs remains unwavering."

Those who disrespect women and use politics for vile personal gains should be held accountable and their masks should be unveiled, she added.

Contacted, Rafy said he is not part of SAD, so he no longer has the jurisdiction to take any action against anyone from the platform.

Neither Rassel Ahmed nor Rezaur Rahman could be contacted over the phone.

Earlier on July 27, SAD suspended the activities of all its committees across the country except its central committee amid allegations of extortion against some of its leaders and activists.