Dhaka, Jan 29 (NationPress) Under the interim government of Mohammad Yunus, celebrated globally for his role in revolutionizing microfinance and enhancing women's empowerment, the institutional protection of women's political representation in Bangladesh has been alarmingly insufficient, as highlighted in a recent report.

The report suggests that despite the interim government's reformist objectives, there has been a lack of decisive action to reinforce or increase women's representation in political decision-making. Such inaction is likely to push women's political participation further into decline, especially as political party structures are actively restricting access.

According to a report from The Daily Star, a leading Bangladeshi newspaper, after the nomination withdrawal deadline for the upcoming election on February 12, women constituted just over 4% of candidates for general seats, with 30 political parties not nominating any female candidates.

“This isn't merely an issue of a pipeline but a significant structural problem: while women are becoming more involved in governance and service delivery, they are systematically excluded from competitive political power. This discrepancy reveals a crucial truth: in Bangladesh, women are being professionalized for growth but not politicized for governance,” the report stated.

Referring to a report by Prothom Alo, it noted that despite a proposal from the Bangladesh National Consensus Commission mandating political parties to field women candidates in 5% of general seats, many parties fell short. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) nominated only 3.5% of women candidates, while Jamaat-e-Islami nominated none.

“Some smaller parties initially put forth a few women candidates but later withdrew them. Former women’s affairs reform commissioners and activists condemned the parties for not fulfilling their commitments and for limiting women's political participation. This demonstrates a wider trend of underrepresentation of women in Bangladeshi elections despite previous agreements and advocacy efforts,” the report stated.

The report indicated that women's exclusion from electoral politics is often defended using cultural norms, conservatism, or perceived lack of “electability.” However, the current trend suggests a political backlash.

“As women's social and economic roles expanded through education, income, public authority, and visibility, their potential political presence became increasingly significant. Rather than adapting to this change, party structures have retreated. Women are often relegated to reserved seats, while competitive constituencies are viewed as 'too risky.' This backlash is ideological, procedural, and strategic,” it highlighted.

The report further emphasized that the digital landscape in Bangladesh perpetuates this exclusion, noting, “Women who engage politically often face heightened online harassment, moral policing, and character attacks. Political parties interpret this hostility as an electoral liability, which justifies their hesitance to nominate women. Consequently, this creates a self-reinforcing cycle: women are excluded due to the hostile political environment, and the environment remains hostile because of the exclusion of women.”