86 women contest polls from 21 parties; 30 parties field no women

In the upcoming 13th national parliamentary elections, 51 political parties are participating, with a total of 1,967 candidates contesting in 298 of the 300 constituencies. Candidates in the remaining two constituencies will be finalised on January 26.

Of these parties, 30—including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami—have not nominated a single female candidate. Among the remaining 21 parties, only 86 women are contesting the elections directly.

According to the Election Commission (EC), 127,711,895 voters are eligible to vote in the elections and referendum scheduled for February 12. Of them, 64,825,151 are men, 62,885,524 are women, and 1,120 voters identify as third gender.

The statistics highlight a stark gender imbalance. Although women constitute nearly half of the country’s population, their representation among candidates remains negligible.

Among the major parties, Jamaat-e-Islami has not nominated any female candidates. Several other parties—including Islami Andolon Bangladesh, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Bangladesh Islami Front (BIF), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Bangladesh Sangskritik Mukti Jote, and Bangladesh Congress—have not fielded any candidates at all.

Parties such as Jatiya Party (JP), Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Front, Bangladesh JASAD, Jatiyatabadi Gonotantrik Andolon, Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM), Bangladesh Muslim League (BML), Zaker Party, Bangladesh Nezame Islami Party, and Gonofront have nominated candidates but none are women. A similar absence of female candidates is seen in Bangladesh Jatiya Party (Sirajul), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (Jagpa), Islami Oikya Jote, Bangladesh Kalyan Party, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP–Partha), Bangladesh Unnayan Party, Democratic Party, Bangladesh National Awami Party, Bangladesh NAP, and Bangladesh Somodhikar Party.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has nominated candidates in 289 constituencies, but only nine women are contesting under its symbol, the Sheaf of Paddy.

Among other parties, the National Citizen Party (NCP) has two female candidates, Jatiya Party five, Gono Odhikar Parishad two, Ganosamhati Andolon four, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BASAD) three, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (Marxist) eight, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) six, Insaniyat Biplob Bangladesh six, and Gono Forum two female candidates whose nominations have been declared valid.

The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Nagorik Oikya, Biplobi Workers Party, Bangladesh Republican Party (BRP), Jatiya Party–JP, Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party), Amjanatar Dal, Islami Front Bangladesh, Bangladesh Supreme Party (BSP), and Bangladesh Muslim League have each nominated one female candidate.

In addition, seven women are contesting as independent candidates. Notable among them are former MP Rumeen Farhana, contesting from Brahmanbaria-2 as a BNP rebel candidate, and former National Citizen Party leader Tasnim Jara, contesting from Dhaka-9.

In 1995, the government pledged to ensure direct elections for women in 30 percent of parliamentary seats. However, the commitment has yet to be implemented. Despite holding senior positions within political parties, many women remain unable to contest elections, even as parties continue to claim that suitable female candidates are unavailable.