Several from Dhaka’s North City Corporation were present at a discussion by Bangladesh Mahila Parishad on Sunday.

Their male colleagues, also elected to the wards by direct voting, testified to the limitations endured by women leaders.

Dhaka North City Mayor Annisul Huq and bdnews24.com Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi shared their views as Mahila Parishad chief Ayesha Khanam led the talks on policies for making city authorities effective and women-friendly.

The funds allocated to women representatives in reserve seats are not the same as men, said Councillor Shahnaz Parvin Nitu, as she demanded equal allocations.

The women used to be nominated for reserved seats before the law was amended in 1997 to allow direct voting. But that did not change the situation of women representatives, said Habibur Rahman Mizan, councillor from Ward-32.

“We just talk about equal rights, but those don’t exist in reality,” said councillor Shamima Rahman.

A woman councillor is elected with three city wards combined, said Khalidi. “But does she have the same power as three councillors put together?”

“Women have been empowered, but not with equal power,” said the journalist.

Councillors must do office work, according to the government gazette, but no such directives exist for women councillors, said Dewan Abdul Mannan of Uttara’s Ward-11.

While female councillors spoke of limited powers, Mayor Huq, the businessman who rode to power on the back of numerous promises for the city, said he, too, feels disempowered.

“I do not have the legal rights to perform beyond three or four duties,” he said.

“What does a mayor do in broad terms? He is chief sweeper in the morning… he turns on the city’s lights and cleans the garbage.”

As for mosquitoes, he said, “I can’t even kill mosquitoes in the places I want.”

In Uttara, Bashundhara or Azampur, it is against regulations to use government funds for exterminating pests, he said.

Dhaka’s mayors do not have authority over many administrative matters just like they do not have jurisdiction over police.

As Huq confessed to limited access as mayor, Khalidi advised representatives to demand greater authority in the city’s governance.

“Developing your own cadre of professionals is important. You are now dependent on government civil servants who, in effect, are not accountable to you.”

“You need to have your own civil servants who will be accountable to you,” the bdnews24.com chief editor suggested.

“You have very limited powers. Most of the issues raised by the Mahila Parishad and women leaders are beyond your means.

“You simply do not have the power or authority to do anything about policing, public transport or mass transit system, education, health care, housing, traffic management, power and water supplies, environment etc that the Mahila Parishad wants you to deal with.

“But you surely can improve the sidewalks or pavements, make those pedestrian-friendly… you can build new sporting facilities, add at least one new playground in every ward.”

“You can surely have libraries set up in each ward. This is an investment we must make and we will not regret this,” Khalidi added.

Mahila Parishad, the oldest and the most respected women rights group in Bangladesh, made 29 recommendations to the mayor and councillors for its vision of a modern, safe and green Dhaka.

Besides more recreation spaces in the city, like parks and playing grounds, it demanded more public toilets, clean sidewalks and safety of female commuters.