Begum Khaleda Zia has been at the helm of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for over four decades. Despite being led by a woman for such a long time, questions remain about how much political progress women have made within the party.
Most of BNP’s female leaders have entered politics through family connections. However, BNP leaders argue that due to the ruling Awami League’s suppression over the past 16 years, women have become increasingly detached from politics. They claim that as the political environment normalizes, female participation in BNP is once again on the rise.
In the closing speech of BNP’s sixth national council in 2016, Khaleda Zia pledged to increase female leadership to 30% by 2021. However, even in 2025, that promise remains unfulfilled. An analysis of BNP’s 502-member central committee reveals that there are only 67 female members, accounting for just 13.34% of the total.
The party’s highest decision-making body, the 19-member standing committee, includes only one woman - Selima Rahman. Additionally, BNP has one female vice-chairperson, 21 women serving as organizational secretaries, secretaries, and assistant secretaries, and 43 women in executive positions.
When asked about female leadership in BNP, the party’s Vice-Chairman Nitai Roy Chowdhury said: “BNP is actively working to involve more women in politics. In the future, more female leaders will join our party and play a crucial role in strengthening it. BNP is giving the highest priority to this issue.”
Regarding the development of female leadership within BNP, the party’s Chairperson’s Adviser, Afroza Khanam Rita, said: “BNP has always worked for women’s empowerment. Among our 31-point agenda, women’s empowerment is a key focus. BNP strongly supports women’s participation in politics. I believe that very soon, more female leaders will be included in various party committees.”
Sources indicate that among BNP’s 67 female leaders, some remain politically active, including Standing Committee member Selima Rahman, Chairperson’s Adviser Afroza Khanam Rita, Organizing Secretaries Bilkis Jahan Shirin and Shama Obaid, Assistant International Affairs Secretaries Advocate Fahima Nasrin Munni, Baby Naznin, and Barrister Rumeen Farhana, as well as Executive Committee member Nipun Roy. Additionally, Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal President Afroza Abbas and General Secretary Sultana Ahmed are quite popular in politics. However, many other female leaders have remained inactive for long periods. Following the political shift on August 5, some leaders have begun to re-engage.
According to BNP sources, Khaleda Zia joined the party on January 3, 1982, just eight months after the assassination of former president Ziaur Rahman. In March 1983, she became BNP’s senior vice-chairperson, and within a few months, she was appointed acting chairperson.
On May 10, 1984, Khaleda Zia was elected BNP Chairperson, a position she has held ever since. However, in the decades since, no other female leader has emerged as a potential successor to her in the party’s top leadership.
BNP’s only female Standing Committee member, Selima Rahman, said: “BNP is a women-friendly party. Our party is led by a woman, and currently, around 14% of the central committee members are women. Due to various reasons, we have not yet been able to reach the 30% target, but our top leaders are working on it. This goal will be achieved very soon.”
Meanwhile, BNP’s student wing, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), is working to increase female participation in student politics. The organization’s top leaders are actively traveling across districts to recruit more women, aiming to build a more inclusive student movement.
BNP’s female leaders believe that a well-planned approach could help resolve the party’s leadership crisis. Many argue that fostering democratic practices within the organization and reducing gender disparities will encourage more women to take up leadership roles.
Mansura Alam, a long-time student activist at Dhaka University and Joint General Secretary of JCD, is currently pursuing a law degree. When asked by Dhaka Tribune whether she faces obstacles as a woman in politics, she said: “Since our party’s chairperson is a woman, I don’t see any barriers to women rising to leadership positions. In general, there is no difference in political participation between me and my male colleagues. We have made equal sacrifices in past movements. However, women are often given positions merely as token representatives. If this changes, so will the party’s overall structure, and we will be able to play a more active role in elections.”
She further said: “For the past 15 years, we have been engaged in a fierce struggle against fascism while working as an opposition force. Due to various social and political constraints, the number of female activists has been low. But gradually, more women are joining the party. The leadership has taken a positive approach, and as trust in leadership grows, so will the number of female members. If JCD can increase its female leadership, the main party will also overcome its leadership crisis.”
DU unit JCD General Secretary Nahiduzzaman Shipon said: “Student politics serves as a gateway to national politics. To ensure greater female representation in BNP, we must first increase female participation in student politics. We are working towards this at Dhaka University.”
JCD Central General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir added: “We are placing special emphasis on increasing the number of female activists. To achieve this, we have held multiple meetings with our members across various regions. We have also launched organizational tours to schools, colleges, and universities. Our goal is to establish JCD as a safe and welcoming platform for female students, even in rural areas.”
Dhaka University teacher and political analyst, Professor Jobaida Nasreen, said: “Women are generally not included in the policymaking levels of political parties, and their opinions are often not given much importance. It is crucial to change our mindset toward women. They should have greater opportunities to participate in politics.”
