The Election Commission has confirmed that 76 women candidates will be contesting in Bangladesh’s upcoming 13th national parliamentary election, scheduled to be held on February 12. The information was shared on Thursday by Akhtar Ahmed, Senior Secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat, during a media briefing at the EC building in Agargaon, Dhaka.
According to the Election Commission, a total of 1,981 candidates are contesting in the election. Among them, 249 candidates are running as independents, while women candidates make up a small fraction of the overall field. The Commission also noted that nine registered political parties have not fielded any candidates in this election.
In terms of constituency-level participation, Dhaka-12 has the highest number of candidates, with 15 contenders, while Pirojpur-1 has the lowest, with only two candidates. Among political parties, the BNP has fielded the highest number of candidates, with 288 nominees nationwide.
Responding to questions from journalists, the EC Secretary said the final number of candidates could still change. He explained that some candidates have been included following court orders and that additional directives from the courts may lead to further changes even at the final stage of the process.
While the Election Commission has presented the figures as part of routine election updates, the low number of women candidates once again highlights the persistent gender gap in electoral participation. Despite constitutional commitments to equality, women remain significantly underrepresented in direct parliamentary contests, raising ongoing questions about party nomination practices, structural barriers, and the political will to ensure meaningful representation.
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