Forty-nine women have been elected Members of Parliament unopposed in the reserved women’s seats of the 13th National Parliament, according to a gazette published by the Election Commission (EC).
Election Commission Secretariat Public Relations Director Md Ruhul Amin Mallik confirmed the information on Thursday.
According to the gazette, 36 women MPs from the BNP have been elected unopposed. They are Selima Rahman, Shirin Sultana, Rasheda Begum Hira, Rehana Akhtar Ranu, Newaz Halima Early, Mosammat Farida Yasmin, Bilkis Islam, Shakila Farzana, Helen Zerin Khan, Nilufar Chowdhury Moni, Nipun Roy Chowdhury, Zeba Amin Khan, Mahmuda Habiba, Sabira Sultana, Sansila Zebrin, Sanjida Islam Tuli, Sultana Ahmed, Fahmida Haque, Anna Minj, Subarna Shikdar, Shamima Ara Begum Swapna, Shammi Akhter, Ferdousi Ahmed, Bithika Binte Hossain, Suraiya Zerin, Mansura Akhter, Joharat Adib Chowdhury, Momtaz Alam, Fahima Nasrin, Arifa Sultana, Sanjida Yasmin, Shawkat Ara Akhter, Madhobi Marma, Selina Sultana and Rezeka Sultana.
Twelve MPs from the Jamaat alliance have also been elected unopposed. They are Nurunnisa Siddika, Marzia Begum, Sabikun Nahar Munni, Nazmun Nahar Nilu, Mahfuza Hannan, Sajeda Samad, Shamsunnahar Begum, Engineer Mardiya Momtaz, Rokeya Begum, Dr Mahmud Alam Mitu, Tasmiya Pradhan and Mahbuba Hakim.
In addition, Sultana Jesmin from an independent alliance has been declared elected as an MP, and a separate gazette has been issued accordingly.
Returning Officer Md Moin Uddin Khan said no voting was required as there was no more than one candidate for the allocated seats within the alliances.
Meanwhile, the deadline for submitting nomination papers was 4:00 pm on April 21. However, Nusrat submitted her nomination 19 minutes after the deadline, and it was not accepted by the returning officer. She later moved to court, which directed the Election Commission to accept her nomination and take necessary legal steps. Following the court order, the returning officer accepted it, and her nomination papers will be scrutinised next Saturday.