Sanjida Islam Tuli is contesting the 13th National Election from Dhaka-14 as a candidate of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The constituency includes Kaundia Union of Savar Upazila, Bangaon Union, and Wards 7–12 of Dhaka North City Corporation. She would be the first woman to contest from this seat.
Tuli is widely known as the coordinator of “Mayer Daak” (Call of Mother), a network formed by families of victims of enforced disappearance during the government of Sheikh Hasina. Enforced disappearance became a major human rights concern in Bangladesh, with political activists, dissenters, and journalists reportedly abducted, held in secret detention, or killed.
Her activism began after the disappearance of her brother, Sajedul Islam Suman, General Secretary of BNP’s 25th Ward, who went missing on 4 December 2013 from Bashundhara Residential Area and has not been found. Through Mayer Daak, she has campaigned nationally and internationally for truth, justice, and accountability for victims’ families. She received the Human Rights Tulip Award from the Dutch government for her work.
During her campaign, she faced legal action over remarks regarding the misuse of Islamic marriage provisions; she later clarified that her critique was directed at misuse, not the religion itself. She has also called for the abolition of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), agencies widely criticized over human rights violations. She continues to advocate accountability for law enforcement members involved in enforced disappearances.
This profile is part of an ongoing documentation series on women contesting the 13th National Election.
Bangladesh Feminist Archives 