As Bangladesh approaches its crucial February 12 polls, a damning report exposes the glaring gender gap in candidacy. Just 109 women have filed nominations out of 2,568 total – accounting for only 4.2%. This underwhelming figure underscores persistent patriarchal hurdles in the country’s politics.
Writing in Prothom Alo, expert Salim Jahan cited media data showing 72 party-endorsed women versus 37 independents. Alarmingly, 30 of 50 participating parties nominated not a single woman, sidelining over 50% of the population from electoral contention.
BNP and BSP topped the list with 10 apiece, yet BNP’s meager 3% from 328 slots is decried as disappointing. Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami utterly ignored women in its 279 lineup. A pre-election pact for 5% minimum female tickets largely went unheeded.
The analysis delves deeper: few women engage actively in politics, rarely appearing in campaigns or rallies. Society’s unease with female leaders, coupled with reliance on physical ‘muscle power,’ deters participation. True progress demands dismantling these deep-rooted biases to foster inclusive governance.