MAHJABEEN KHALED
Growing up in Bangladesh’s capital of Dhaka, Mahjabeen Khaled — despite her family’s political history — never thought she would become a politician in her ancestral area of Islampur Upazila, but she’s doing well so far.
Oozing grace and elegance, Mahjabeen is one of the 50 women members of parliament in Bangladesh. She uses her status to work extensively with women and mothers in her local communities on issues such as child marriage, radicalisation and alcoholism, because “family, especially mothers, is the main source that can bring change to their children”. She works extensively to promote and develop existing diplomatic and political relations to Bangladesh as part of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Foreign Affairs.
Urged to go into politics five years ago after her uncle passed away, Mahjabeen tried for the nomination, yet she didn’t get elected. “But we have 50 reserved seats which are especially given to women,” she explained. “And that’s where I came in. It is a platform for me to learn, because I was not into politics — my family was. So I got to know about [my area], the people, their customs, the language. It’s been five years now. It’s been much easier.”
Of course, going into the wolf’s den of politics as a woman wasn’t easy. “Men are not trustworthy,” she laughs. “Women are more hardworking, energetic and trustworthy. They don’t shift. Men come to you and they will promise you this and that, but the moment they leave, they change. Women, when they say they like you, they mean it. They won’t suddenly say ‘No, I don’t like you anymore’, unless you do something very drastic.”
Facing insults especially from grassroots leaders when she first took the position, even members of Mahjabeen’s family believed she wouldn’t last seven days. “But I’ve survived five years. It’s a challenge for me now. I will survive. I want to show them, and I will. I just want to work for the people. I can give a thousand times more and make the change that was the dream of my family — my father — and I wish to carry on that legacy.”