On August 23, 2025, the newly launched Insaf Foundation, which says it is dedicated to women’s dignity, security, and awareness, held its inaugural seminar at the Krishibid Institute Auditorium in Dhaka. The event, attended by prominent Islamic scholars, emphasized Islam’s teachings on protecting women’s rights and announced plans for awareness programs on women’s dignity and safety.
But as photos of the seminar spread widely on social media, the event quickly drew criticism and ridicule. Commenters pointed out that while the program was dedicated to women’s rights, the stage and panel were composed entirely of men, raising questions about representation and the absence of women’s voices in shaping such initiatives. Some posts alleged that women were seated separately, though this has not been independently confirmed.
Speakers at the seminar included Maulana Muhammad Abdul Malek, Mufti Mahmudul Hasan, and other religious leaders, who spoke about ensuring women’s dignity through Islamic teachings, pre-marital training, counseling, and greater cooperation between social and state institutions. For many critics, however, the event became a symbol of how women’s rights in Bangladesh are often discussed without the active participation of women themselves.
The Insaf Foundation launch illustrates a recurring contradiction: the language of “protecting women’s rights” is used to reinforce patriarchal authority, while women’s own voices remain sidelined. The viral reactions underline a growing public awareness that rights cannot be established without representation, and that talking about women without women is itself a form of erasure.
Bangladesh Feminist Archives 