Dhaka: Despite longstanding promises to empower women politically, Bangladesh’s upcoming national election reveals a different reality, with female representation on the ballot remaining notably low.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the election will see participation from 51 registered political parties, yet more than 30, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, have not nominated a single woman candidate. This raises concerns over gender inclusion in national politics.
Of the 2,568 nomination papers submitted, only 109 were filed by women, accounting for just 4.24% of the total, as per data reviewed by UNB. After scrutiny by the Election Commission (EC), 1,842 candidates were validated, including 1,779 men and only 63 women. This means women make up just 3.4% of the final candidates. Following appeals, 417 candidates regained their candidacies, resulting in a total of 1,981 candidates, including 76 women, for the 13th national parliamentary election. Women now constitute only 3.84% of the total candidates.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) highlighted that women represent only 3.38% of party-affiliated candidates, while the figure is 10% among independent candidates. The EC’s data shows the election will have over 12 crore registered voters, with a slight majority being men.
Under the legal framework, the July 2025 National Consensus Ordinance mandates that political parties nominate at least 5% women candidates in parliamentary elections, with a gradual increase to 33% in future polls. However, this ordinance has not yet been implemented, rendering the rule non-binding. Historical participation has been low, with women candidates accounting for 3.51% in 2008, 5.55% in 2014, and just 0.81% in 2018.
A breakdown by party shows that only a few parties have fielded women candidates. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) initially nominated women for 15 constituencies, but now has 11 valid women candidates. Other parties have also nominated a small number of women, with several losing their candidacies during scrutiny.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) noted that out of the 51 political parties contesting, 30 have not nominated a single woman candidate. The report emphasized that, despite having female prime ministers and significant female participation in past movements, women in Bangladesh remain largely excluded from meaningful political participation.
The Women’s Political Rights Forum (FWPR) called for political parties to be held accountable for failing to nominate at least 5% women candidates, as pledged under the July National Charter. The forum urged structural reforms to integrate women into leadership roles and ensure a gender-responsive political system.
At a press conference, forum leaders expressed concern over the low participation of women and stressed the need for raising awareness about women’s rights. They highlighted that women make up nearly half of the electorate, questioning the feasibility of coming to power by excluding such a significant portion of the population.
The Social Resistance Committee, comprising 71 organizations focused on women, human rights, and development, also voiced concern over the low number of women candidates. They attributed this to a patriarchal political culture and called for women’s equal participation in political decision-making as essential for building a democratic and equitable society.