New Delhi, Feb 8: Bangladesh, despite its laggardness on social, economic and other multiple fronts, had one distinct character for many years — two women leaders remained the key pivot of its political landscape.
As the South Asian nation heads towards elections, the first after the bloody and violent uprising of 2024, a strange vacuum occupies its political sphere as both the women stalwarts, rather former Prime Ministers are missing from action — Khaleda Zia is no more and Sheikh Hasina is living in exile.
The nation, once seen as a flagbearer of women empowerment in the sub-continent is seen to be falling deep in the abyss of growing extremism and radicalism.
Today, the political arena remains ‘completely’ devoid of women contestants owing to open threats and intimidation from radical elements.
According to a report, women make up less than four per cent of the candidates — out of 1,981 contestants vying for 300 Parliamentary seats, only 76 are women candidates.
Political watchers are alarmed and worried over shrinking participation of women contestants in the political race, seen as very crucial for retaining the ‘liberal’ character of nation as various new reports affirm fundamentalists running the show, under the current Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.
It further informs that today women’s participation has reduced drastically and most political parties are relying on men for giving tickets.
Though, women’s representation in nation’s politics remains limited, the phase between 1991 to 2024 saw the era of two women — Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia.
Zia died in December 2025 after leading the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for four decades and serving three terms as the premier while Sheikh Hasina was overthrown after July 2024 uprising (having served as Prime Minister for five terms).
Many poll watchers claim that women are being censured and vilified and the political atmosphere vitiated by Islamist elements as their clout and influence has deepened in post-Hasina era.
Many see Jamaat-e-Islami, the largest Islamist party, as key reason behind this oppressive shift as it hasn’t nominated a single woman.
For more than three decades, Bangladesh was one of the few countries in the world to be led by women, yet there are almost none on the February 12 ballots.
Therefore, regardless of whoever wins next week, the outcome will see the country governed almost exclusively by men.
“I used to be proud that we had two women figureheads at the top but that seems to have changed, women leaders have been pushed to the margins and now being edged out,” Barron’s report said, citing a first-time voter in the poll-bound Bangladesh.
Notably, the South Asian nation with population of about 17 crore elects 300 lawmakers to its Parliament, while another 50 seats are reportedly reserved for women and some other categories.
Cyber threats shadow women candidates in Bangladesh elections
Cyber abuse and threats have become a persistent challenge for women candidates contesting elections in Bangladesh, creating serious barriers to their political participation.
As digital platforms play a growing role in election campaigns, women politicians are increasingly targeted with online harassment, including sexist slurs, misinformation, character assassination, and threats of violence.
These attacks often focus on personal lives, morality, or appearance rather than political positions, reinforcing deep-rooted gender stereotypes.
Social media is frequently used to spread false narratives and coordinated hate campaigns, sometimes amplified by anonymous accounts or political rivals.
For many women candidates, online abuse spills into real-world intimidation, raising concerns about personal safety and that of their families.
This hostile environment discourages women from campaigning freely, limits their visibility, and in some cases pushes them to withdraw from politics altogether.
Despite existing cyber laws, enforcement remains weak, and victims often face lengthy legal processes or social stigma when seeking justice.
Civil society groups and rights activists argue that stronger legal protections, better monitoring of digital platforms, and faster response mechanisms are urgently needed.
They also emphasize the importance of political parties taking responsibility for protecting women candidates and condemning abuse.
The rise in cyber threats highlights broader structural challenges facing women in Bangladeshi politics, where progress in representation continues to be undermined by gender-based violence, both online and offline. (IANS)
