ABSTRACT Bangladesh remains an understudied case in the field of transitional justice, particularly regarding the gender dimension of postconflict justice measures. In this article, I examine the postconflict treatment of Birangonas – women who survived sexual violence during the 1971 war in Bangladesh – through a critical feminist lens. I argue that the treatment of Birangonas, by both law and society, is patently gendered. I trace the narratives followed by the legal processes and society in treating Birangonas. By evaluating the judgments of the International Crimes Tribunal, Bangladesh, I attempt to show the extent to which law reflects the social dynamics of gender stereotypes and prejudices in postwar Bangladesh. The article ultimately underscores the importance of skepticism towards the means by which gender justice is pursued and served in a postconflict context such as Bangladesh.
Arifur Rahman (Fri,) studied this question.