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by IANS |
New Delhi, Jan 27 (IANS) Bangladesh is witnessing a steady rise in voices expressing concerns over inadequate representation of women in the country’s election process, despite Dhaka having had at least two women Prime Ministers.
In the last incidence, as reported by Bangladesh’s The Daily Star newspaper, women’s rights activists have urged the Election Commission to ensure adequate security and gender-sensitive polls.
Activists have also warned of the violence and intimidation against women and minorities ahead of the February 12 general election, it added.
On January 19, the newspaper had carried an opinion piece that lamented the miniscule representation by women candidates in the upcoming elections, flagging “systemic design and failure” as main reasons.
“The lack of women candidates has nothing to do with women’s competence or willingness to lead, but everything to do with systemic design and failure,” observed the earlier article.
On Tuesday morning, activists under the banner of Samajik Protirodh (Social Resistance) Committee, read out a memorandum addressed to Bangladesh’s Chief Election Commissioner to ensure such measures essential for all citizens, regardless of gender, religion, ethnicity or social status, to freely exercise their voting rights.
The committee serves as a platform comprising 71 women’s, human rights and development organisations, shared the report. In her welcome speech, Fauzia Moslem, president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, said the announcement of the February 12 election has once again brought the issue of restoring democratic norms to the forefront, the report added.
She said women’s organisations have long been campaigning for meaningful representation in the country’s Parliament, including increasing the number of reserved seats, reforming the voting mechanism for those seats, and ensuring that political parties nominate more women candidates.
However, progress in these areas remained disappointing, the latest report quoted the women’s rights activist.
Referring to nomination data, Fauzia said women make up only around 4.2 per cent of candidates in the upcoming election, a figure she reportedly described as unacceptable from the perspective of the women’s movement.
She said representatives of women’s organisations had earlier met the Election Commission and submitted a set of recommendations covering candidate selection, the influence of money and power in elections, and broader electoral reforms from a gender perspective.
She claimed that while the commission later addressed voting access for people with disabilities, there has been no visible response to other demands raised by women’s groups.
She further alleged, the report added, that the Election Commission has not responded to the Samajik Protirodh Committee seeking an appointment to discuss the issue.
In the memorandum, the committee said Parliamentary elections are a cornerstone of democracy and noted that women have historically played a leading role in movements to establish democratic rights in Bangladesh.
Despite this, it claimed that women, religious minorities, indigenous people, and the poor are often treated merely as voters rather than as full citizens during elections and in governance.
Expressing concern over the prevailing election atmosphere, the committee said reports indicate incidents of violence and intimidation targeting women, minorities and disadvantaged groups ahead of the polls, the media report added.
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