Despite significant progress in women’s education, employment and entrepreneurship, their presence in Bangladesh’s national politics remains limited.
The results of the 13th National Parliament election held on February 12 show that women remain significantly underrepresented in the country’s highest legislative body.
Out of 299 parliamentary seats, only seven women were directly elected in the latest polls.
Six contested as candidates of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), while one was elected as an independent candidate.
With the addition of 50 constitutionally reserved seats for women, the total number of female lawmakers is expected to reach 57, accounting for roughly 16% of the 350-member parliament -- still far from gender parity.
Few women among candidates
Women were also vastly underrepresented among candidates contesting the election.
A total of 2,028 candidates competed across 299 constituencies, but only 85 were women, representing around 4% of the total.
Of them, 66 ran as party nominees and 19 as independent candidates.
Only seven women secured victory.
The elected female lawmakers include Afroza Khanom (Manikganj-3), Israt Sultana Elen Bhutto (Jhalakathi-2), Tahsina Rushdir (Luna) (Sylhet-2), Farzana Sharmin (Natore-1), Shama Obayed Islam (Faridpur-2) and Nayab Yusuf Ahmed (Faridpur-3), all representing BNP.
Rumin Farhana, running as an independent candidate, won the Brahmanbaria-2 constituency.
In Sylhet-2, Tahsina Rushdir -- wife of BNP leader M Ilyas Ali, who disappeared in 2012 -- won by more than 79,000 votes, becoming the only female candidate among 33 contestants across the district’s six constituencies.
Some female candidates say social attitudes also influenced the campaign environment.
Manisha Chakraborty, the sole candidate from Barishal-5, said misleading narratives circulated in some rural areas during the election.
“Some people spread the message that after coming out of the mosque, voters would have to see the face of an unveiled woman,” she said, suggesting such propaganda may have affected the outcome.
Limited party nominations
Political analysts say the low number of elected women reflects the small number of female candidates nominated by parties.
Election data shows that men received roughly 22 times more nominations than women.
Among candidates, over 8% of women won, compared with about 15% of men.
BNP nominated 10 women, the highest number among major parties.
The Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (Basad-Marxist) nominated nine women, roughly one-third of its candidates.
Other parties fielded only a few female candidates: the Jatiya Party (GM Quader faction) nominated five, Gonoshonghoti Andolon four, and both Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party and Gono Odhikar Parishad three.
Notably, 30 of the 51 political parties that contested the election did not nominate a single woman candidate.
Bangladesh’s Representation of the People Order requires political parties to ensure 33% participation of women in party structures, but no party has yet achieved this goal.
The July National Charter 2025 also encouraged parties to nominate at least 5% women candidates in this election, with a long-term goal of reaching 33%.
Most parties failed to meet even the 5% threshold.
Representation over time
Women’s representation in parliament has fluctuated over the decades.
The eighth parliament in 2001 had seven directly elected women, the same number seen again in 2026.
The highest representation came after the 2008 election, when 21 women were directly elected and the number of reserved seats was increased to 50, bringing the total to 70 female lawmakers.
Despite Bangladesh’s notable achievements in female education and workforce participation, the country ranks 134th globally in women’s political empowerment.
Rights advocates say improving representation will require more female nominations, supportive campaign environments and stronger roles for women within political parties.
As Bangladesh marks International Women’s Day, the challenge now is not only ensuring women’s participation in politics -- but also enabling them to compete and win seats on equal footing.