Women still on the margins of politics despite majority voters

As International Women’s Day is observed this year, the stark underrepresentation of women in Bangladesh’s politics has once again come into focus, with activists, politicians and researchers warning that the country’s democratic institutions will remain incomplete without meaningful female participation.

Women make up more than half of Bangladesh’s electorate, yet their presence in the legislature remains strikingly limited.

In the election to the 13th National Parliament held on February 12, women accounted for only about four percent of the candidates.

Out of nearly 2,000 contestants, 87 were women. Only seven ultimately secured seats in parliament.

The numbers reflect a persistent gap between women’s participation as voters and their representation as political leaders—an imbalance that speakers at several recent discussions described as a structural challenge rooted in social norms, party politics and electoral dynamics.

At a dialogue titled “Ensuring Women’s Leadership and Protection in Politics,” jointly organised by ActionAid Bangladesh and Prothom Alo in Dhaka’s Gulshan area, participants said the barriers faced by women in elections extend far beyond campaign logistics.

They include entrenched patriarchal attitudes within political parties, financial disparities, and a political culture often dominated by muscle power and intimidation.

Rasheda K Chowdhury, executive director of Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE), said the expectation from the newly elected female lawmakers is not merely symbolic representation but meaningful engagement with national issues.

“The hope is that those who have been elected will speak in parliament not only as women but as representatives of society,” she said.

At the same time, she noted that advancing women’s rights cannot remain the sole responsibility of female politicians.

“Men in parliament must also speak for women’s rights,” she said, pointing out that women voters play a decisive role in electing lawmakers.

Among those who broke through the electoral barriers was independent candidate Rumeen Farhana, who won the Brahmanbaria-2 constituency.

Reflecting on her campaign experience, she argued that the limited number of female nominees in the election exposed lingering misogyny within political organisations.

She urged women voters to hold parties accountable. “If a party does not nominate women candidates, women should reconsider voting for that party,” she said.

Farhana also emphasised the role of family support in empowering women to enter public life.

“If discrimination against girls does not begin within families, those girls can grow up with confidence and stand tall,” she said.

Despite the low number of female lawmakers, women hold several positions in the current government led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, including three seats in the cabinet.

Yet activists say these gains remain modest when measured against the scale of women’s participation in the electorate.

The broader political climate was also criticised at a separate discussion organised by the Dhaka South unit of the Communist Party of Bangladesh at the Jatiya Press Club.

Speaking there, party presidium member Jolly Talukdar argued that the environment of money-driven politics and intimidation discourages women from entering electoral contests.

“Vote buying, violence, muscle power and administrative manipulation are realities of elections that women often cannot compete with,” she said, recalling her experience contesting the Netrakona-4 seat in the latest parliamentary election.

Talukdar also criticised the system of reserved seats for women in parliament, where 50 members are selected indirectly by elected lawmakers. She described the process as deeply patriarchal and called for direct elections to those seats.

“The way women are chosen for reserved seats is controlled by male political leaders,” she said, adding that genuine representation requires a more democratic process.

She further argued that the status of women in a country is closely linked to the character of its politics.

“If the political culture is violent or exclusionary, the impact inevitably falls on women,” she said, linking broader political dynamics to the prevalence of gender-based violence.

While debates over representation continue, the government is set to highlight women’s contributions through national recognition programmes marking International Women’s Day.

The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs will confer the “Best Indomitable Woman in Advancing Democracy” award on Khaleda Zia at a ceremony at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium.

The award acknowledges her leadership in the struggle to restore democratic governance in Bangladesh.

Five other women will also receive national recognition for achievements in areas including economic success, education and employment, social development, motherhood and resilience after surviving violence.

Beyond politics, calls for stronger female participation are also emerging in other areas of public life.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said women’s involvement in diplomacy must increase if Bangladesh is to fully utilise its human resources in global engagement.

In an interview marking International Women’s Day, she noted that more women are now serving in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bangladesh missions abroad.

“Their participation should increase further so they can play a more direct role in shaping foreign policy,” she said.

For many observers, the debates and reflections surrounding this year’s International Women’s Day highlight both progress and persistent challenges.

Women have become an indispensable force in Bangladesh’s economy, society and electorate. Yet the struggle to translate that influence into political power remains unfinished.