Politics | Bangladesh

By Arafatul Islam

February 26, 2026

Bangladesh’s new government, led by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Tarique Rahman, has commenced with the lowest number of female Members of Parliament (MPs) in 25 years. Out of 300 directly elected MPs, only seven are female, and the 50-member cabinet includes just three female politicians, despite promises of initiatives to empower women.

This decline in female representation has raised concerns among analysts regarding its potential impact on women’s empowerment and their influence in policy-making. The government’s Women’s Affairs Minister is a man.

The government, headed by Tarique Rahman, was sworn in last week following the BNP’s landslide victory in the 12 February general elections. This transition concludes an 18-month interim period that began after a student-led uprising in August 2024, which led to the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Rahman is set to lead a 50-member Cabinet for the next five years, having promised reforms, including those focused on women’s empowerment, which were approved via a referendum held concurrently with the election.

Challenges to Female Representation

Female politicians have cited systemic challenges as contributing factors to the low representation. Rumeen Farhana, one of the seven female MPs, who ran as an independent candidate after being expelled by the BNP, stated that political parties are often reluctant to field female candidates due to concerns about electoral competitiveness. Farhana described the existing state and social structure as misogynistic, asserting that despite rhetoric on equal rights, political parties frequently fail to provide opportunities for women based on merit. Farhana won comfortably in her constituency in eastern Bangladesh.

Monira Sharmin, a female politician with the National Citizen Party (NCP), highlighted that a proposal for at least 100 constituencies reserved for female candidates was opposed by the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami parties. Sharmin, who withdrew her own candidacy after her party formed an alliance with groups that did not include female candidates, observed a societal reluctance to accept women’s political opinions, suggesting a “psychological mindset of voters that needs to be changed” and a need for political parties to foster an enabling environment.

Government’s Stance and Expert Analysis

Six of the directly elected female MPs are affiliated with the ruling BNP. In an interview prior to election day, Tarique Rahman outlined his strategy for women’s empowerment, focusing on ensuring education and financial independence. He stated that this would enable women to independently secure nominations for elections and attain significant positions, characterising the approach as “long-term; slow but permanent.”

However, Farhana contended that Bangladeshi women are already capable of contesting elections, provided they are afforded a fair opportunity and a supportive political atmosphere. She criticised policymakers for their failure to ensure even a 5% representation of women candidates in the recent elections.

Fahmida Khatun, executive director of the Dhaka-based Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), offered an expert perspective on Bangladesh’s system of 50 reserved parliamentary seats for women. These seats are filled by candidates selected by political parties based on their electoral performance. Khatun stated that these seats largely remain ceremonial and have limited influence on policy-making. She emphasised the necessity for more women to be directly elected to parliament to facilitate meaningful change and the implementation of policies beneficial to women. Khatun also noted that while the labour force participation rate for women in Bangladesh exceeds 44%, they often face burdens from social and family responsibilities, impeding their progress. She underscored the need for a “woman-friendly environment that ensures safety for women who want to work outside and participate in politics,” advocating for increased awareness to reduce the gender gap.