Since 1975, March 8 has been celebrated as International Women’s Day, "WOMEN & HIV/AIDS" the theme of International Women's Day this year."

In National Politics:

Historically, women’s voting right was established long ago but women’s participation in the political and national movement has been negligible. At present both the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition in Parliament are women. However, their high positions in politics do not reflect the whole scenario of women’s position in politics. Both the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition come from political families. The Prime Minister’s father was founder and first Prime Minister of Bangladesh, while the husband of the leader of the opposition led a military coup and was subsequently elected as President. Women are still subordinated to men in many cases but they are coming out. Gradually women’s participation is increasing.

The increasing political involvement has inspired women to contest for the Rural Union Council and Urban Municipal election (there are 1/3 seats reserved for women) more than before. In the last union council election (1997) nearly 48000 women contested for the member post. Directly elected women councillors/members are demanding for their defined responsibilities and jobs.

Source: 1. Journal of Public Administration by - PATC, Vol-15, June 2000. Dhaka;
2. List collected from ministry of local government (Please note here four city corporation was not included in this list). Ratio of four city corporation-M:F=190:63 (Source: BBS 1998.)

There are 300 seats in the national parliament; out of these 15 were reserved for women in 1970. In 1980 the seats reserved for women were doubled to 30. The rest of the seats are contested in direct elections. In 1980 two women were directly elected, increasing the total number of women in parliament to 32. In 1990 five women were directly elected and in the 2000 election seven women were directly elected, increasing the number of women in parliament to 35 and 37 respectively.

The country was under military regime from 1975 to 1990. There was no democratic practice at all during the martial law government. After the fall of the martial law government in 1990 democracy was established in 1991. The prime minister and the leader of opposition are women. At present Sheikh Hasina is the prime minister and Khaleda Zia is the leader of opposition. Khaleda was prime minister in 1991 and Hasina was then leader of opposition. Though both main political parties are under the leadership of women, this has not as yet resulted in massive participation by women in politics and government.

WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN URBAN LOCAL GOVERNANCE

Women’s participation in urban local government Before the Gazette notification (the Pourashava Ordinance 1977, Ordinance No.XXVI of 1977 which was amended on 1998, July and Gazette Additional copy 22/3/1999) for municipalities and city corporations respectively, female ward commissioners were appointed by selection. For the first time Dhaka City Corporation elected 19 female ward commissioners (elected by male commissioners) for reserve seats in 1994. With a view to promote women’s participation in urban local government, the Pourashava Ordinance and City Corporation Ordinance have been introduced which are mandatory for every Pourashava and City Corporation. These ordinances stipulate that whatever the number of ward commissioner, depending on the area of the
Pourashava and City Corporation; there should be reserved seats, exclusively for women equivalent to one third of the number of commissioners fixed by the government. The women ward commissioner will be elected directly. The span of responsibilities for ward commissions has been well defined in the government gazette. But there is no definite responsibility narrated in such a Gazette for women ward commissioners. The government Gazette notification has described the nature of meetings, panel chairpersons etc. So the status of women ward
commissioners (reserved seats) has been undermined. Still there is some confusion and misunderstanding between commissioner and women ward commissioners.
Every political party has a women wing to encourage women to join politics either at national or local level. Women’s participation in politics has no doubt increased tremendously. All NGO’s, women’s organizations and civil society organizations are very active in this regard. Recently there has been a phenomenal change. During the last 1998 local government election (Union Parishad) more than 12,000 women members were elected directly for reserved seats. In the near future, after completion of municipal election, another 887 women ward commissioner will be directly elected.
Contesting for reserved seats, women’s participation in elections will have a positive Bangladesh Report impact on women’s political consciousness. Beside this, the media are playing a vital role educating women. The total number of women voters enrolment has increased compared to the previous enrolment..

SDNP
Bangladesh