Bangladesh's Historic Election Concludes with Women Demanding Greater Representation
Voting in Bangladesh's crucial parliamentary election has concluded, marking a pivotal moment in the nation's democratic restoration following the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Despite a turnout approaching 50 percent, a pressing question dominated discussions among female voters: where are all the women candidates?
Glaring Lack of Female Candidates on the Ballot
In Bangladesh's 13th parliamentary elections, 2,028 candidates competed for 299 seats, but only 83 of them were women, representing a mere 4.1 percent. Among these female candidates, 61 secured party nominations while 20 ran as independents. Alarmingly, approximately 30 of the 51 parties contesting the polls did not field a single woman candidate.
Dr Maleka Banu, secretary general of the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, the country's largest women's organisation, expressed profound disappointment. "It was very disappointing to see the abysmal number of women candidates," she told The Independent. "We had pushed for direct elections in the 50 seats reserved for women instead of the government nominating the parliamentarians after the elections."
Women's Role in Political Transition
Women, particularly students, played a crucial role in the July 2024 protests that led to the removal of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government, forcing her to flee after 15 consecutive years in power. However, this political transition has not translated into increased opportunities for female representation in leadership positions.
University student Rahuna Hussain, who participated in the 2024 protests, lamented the reality. "I had hoped that more women would get the opportunity to fight in this election but unfortunately no it was worse than we expected," she said.
Rise of Conservative Parties and Women's Concerns
With the Awami League banned from politics, the election became a tight contest between the Bangladeshi Nationalist Party (BNP) and the far-right Jamaat-e-Islami party. The Jamaat, which gained significant popularity among young men, did not field any women candidates, raising serious concerns among women's rights advocates.
Dr Banu warned that such low female participation risks setting back the struggle for representation. "The women who were involved in the 2024 protests have also disappeared," she added, highlighting a worrying trend.
Fear of Rolling Back Women's Rights
Many women expressed apprehension that a stronger showing by Jamaat-e-Islami could reverse hard-won gains in education, employment, and legal protections. The party's leaders have previously suggested restricting women's activities and questioned their ability to work due to childbearing roles, though they have recently adopted a more moderate tone.
Abu Bakar Mollah, spokesperson for Jamaat, claimed, "We treat everyone equally, irrespective of their gender, religion and other identities." He added, "A lot of statements given by our leader have been misinterpreted and taken out of context. Women are free to choose what they want."
Historical Context of Women's Empowerment
Under Sheikh Hasina's tenure, women's participation in the workforce became a cornerstone of Bangladesh's economic rise. Millions of rural women entered paid employment through the garment industry, the country's largest export earner, while microfinance networks and social welfare programmes expanded financial access for women.
Experts have frequently credited this surge in female labour force participation as a key driver behind Bangladesh's rapid growth, poverty reduction, and improvements in health and development indicators over the past decade and a half.
Broader Implications for Society
Sohela Nazneen, Senior Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies, observed, "The rise of Jamaat and active participation by its women members supporting its conservative rhetoric has created concerns and discussions among the wider public on women's rights and whether Bangladeshi society is seeing a shift."
She emphasized, "How women vote in this election and who they choose will have far-reaching implications for a country that has been lauded for its success on changing women's condition and improving access to health, education, and participation in the economy."
Election Results and Future Outlook
Polls closed at 4:30 PM on Thursday with counting beginning immediately, and results are expected on Friday. By 2 PM, over 47 percent of voters had cast their ballots according to the Election Commission. Tarique Rahman of the BNP has emerged as the frontrunner to form the next government, but the 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami has shown optimism about their prospects.
Shafiqur Rahman, chief of Jamaat-e-Islami, declared the election "a turning point," stating after casting his vote, "People demand change. They desire change. We also desire the change."
As Bangladesh awaits the final results, the question of women's representation remains unresolved, with female voters like Ruby Yasmin, 22, expressing concern: "Women in Bangladesh have fought long for a liberal, secular, inclusive society. This election will take us back years."
