Only 7 women candidates in 36 seats in Khulna

Khulna Correspondent:

In the 13th Jatiya Sangsad election, a total of 201 candidates are contesting from 36 parliamentary constituencies in Khulna division, but only seven of them are women-accounting for just 3.48 percent of the total candidates. The figure highlights a persistent gender gap in electoral politics, with little improvement compared to previous national elections.

According to Election Commission data, the situation remains largely uniform across the division’s 10 districts.

Registered political parties including BNP, Jatiya Party, Gano Forum, BASD and Bangladesh Republican Party-have collectively nominated six female candidates, while one woman is contesting as an independent.

No female candidates are contesting in any constituency in Bagerhat, Satkhira, Meherpur, Chuadanga and Narail districts. Jhenaidah has two female candidates, while Jessore, Magura, Khulna and Kushtia each have one.

In Khulna district’s six constituencies, 38 candidates are in the race, with only one woman-Jatiya Party nominee Shamima Ara Parveen Yasmin in Khulna-5. Although her nomination was initially cancelled, she regained candidacy through a court order.

Other female candidates include BNP’s Sabira Sultana in Jessore-2; Jatiya Party’s Monika Alam and Gano Forum’s Khaniya Khanam in Jhenaidah; BASD’s Shampa Bosu in Magura-1; independent candidate Farida Yasmin in Narail-2; and Republican Party nominee Rumpa Khanam in Kushtia-1.

Women political activists and leaders of women’s organisations say women continue to be marginalised within political parties. Patriarchal attitudes, money-driven politics and the influence of power structures remain major barriers to women’s participation.