All women politicians, both from the ruling as well as from opposition parties, should come under a common platform and raise their voices to increase women’s participation in the parliament, speakers told a discussion yesterday.
The government should form a separate fund for women candidates so that they could equally compete with the other male competitors in the national elections which could be crucial in women’s empowerment, they said.
The speakers came up with the suggestion while addressing a roundtable titled “Women’s Leadership: Parliament and National Politics in Bangladesh” held at Gulshan in the city.
Former lawmakers Tarana Halim, Tasmima Hussain and economist Salma Khatun, among others, addressed the discussion organised by Centre for Gender and Social Transformation (CGST) and Brac Institute of Governance and Development.
Tarana Halim said it was more difficult for women candidates to spend huge money like their male rivals during elections. Usually, central committee, dominated by the male politicians, of a political party selects candidates for reserved seats and nominates candidates for direct election, she said.
Tasmima Hussain said, “I saw many female Awami League leaders crying when they did not get nomination from the party this time.”
Marufa Akter, programme officer, CGST said, only 27 women out of 540 candidates contested from different political parties, except 19-party alliance, in the 10th parliamentary elections while only 18 won the elections.
