Women lag behind in politics for mismatching political promises, practice

Despite constitutional guarantees of gender equality, women's remarkable participation in Bangladesh's electoral politics remains largely undermined, indicating a growing gap between political commitments and their implementation, the Forum for Women's Political Rights said today (12 January).

At an observation and analysis briefing at the capital's Reporters Unity ahead of the national poll, the Forum questioned political parties' sincerity in nominating women as candidates and the Election Commission's role in ensuring accountability.

The forum said women's political representation continues depending largely on reserved seats, limiting their direct public mandate and effective influence in policymaking. Participation of women in competitive seats has remained persistently low, it added.

Speaking at the event rights activist Reetu Sattar said, "The Representation of the People Order (RPO) requires political parties to reserve at least 33% of positions at all levels of party structures for women, a provision most parties have failed to comply with."

Citing Clause 22(b) of the July National Charter-2025, she said, "Parties are required to nominate at least 5% women candidates in parliamentary elections. However, EC data show that 30 out of the contesting 51 parties have not nominated a single woman."

According to official figures, only 115 out of the 2,568 candidates in the upcoming election are women—just 4.48% of the total. Of them, 75 are party nominees and 40 are independents. 

Reetu said, nearly 34% of women candidates are contesting outside party structures, undermining claims that parties lack eligible women leaders and pointing instead to structural barriers in nomination processes.

EC data further show that no party has nominated more than 15 women candidates, with BNP nominating 15 women among its 331 candidates, while Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Andolon Bangladesh did not nominate any women despite fielding 276 and 268 candidates respectively.

Among other parties, Jatiya Party (GM Quader) and Basad (Marxist) nominated six and seven women candidates respectively, while several others nominated between one and five. 

The platform called for immediate accountability measures by the EC against non-compliant parties, stronger enforcement of women's political rights, and structural reforms within parties. 

Representatives from Gonosakkhorota Abhijan, Durbar Network Foundation, Nagorik Coalition, Nari Uddyog Kendra (NUK), Narigrantha Probartana, Nari Samhati, Naripokkho, Narir Dake Rajniti, Feminist Alliance of Bangladesh (FAB), Bangladesh Nari Mukti Kendra, and Voice for Reform were present at the event.