At a press conference in Dhaka, the Women’s Political Forum, a coalition of 12 organizations, demanded stronger representation for women in parliament, including 100 reserved seats to be filled through direct elections and at least 33 percent female candidates in the 300 general constituencies. Speakers warned that unless women’s voices are taken seriously, they will make their own decisions at the ballot box.
The Forum criticized the draft July National Charter, which retained 50 nominated seats and only 5 percent female candidacies in general constituencies, with a gradual rise promised in future polls. Women’s rights defenders called this a regressive move, pointing out that women make up 51 percent of the population and are active in education, work, and grassroots movements. Leaders including Farah Kabir, Samina Luthfa, Mahrukh Mohiuddin, and Taslima Akhter stressed that consultations with women nationwide show clear demands for direct elections and immediate quotas.
Speakers also pressed for amendments to the Representation of the People Order (RPO) to ensure state funding for all women candidates, saying reliance on party goodwill will not deliver equality. They argued that symbolic representation is not enough, and only direct elections and binding quotas can guarantee women a meaningful role in national decision-making.
Source: Prothom Alo
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