"Of the 300 directly elected members of parliament (MPs), only seven are female, and the 50-member cabinet included only three female politicians. Analysts say the gender gap will impact women's empowerment, as their voices won't gain prominence in the policy-making process. Even Rahman's women's affairs minister is a man."
"This transition concludes an 18-month interim period following a bloody student-led uprising in August 2024, which ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and ended her 15-year rule. Rahman plans to lead a 50-member Cabinet over the next five years, promising reforms that the BNP agreed to during the interim period."
"Rumeen Farhana is one of the seven female politicians who made it to Parliament after contesting as an independent candidate during the last election. She ran as an independent after the BNP expelled her before the election. She said the BNP prioritized male candidates."
Tarique Rahman, leader of the center-right Bangladesh Nationalist Party, was sworn in as Prime Minister following the party's landslide victory in February 2024 elections. He succeeded an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, which governed for 18 months after a student-led uprising in August 2024 ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Rahman's government promised reforms including women's empowerment initiatives, approved through referendum alongside the election. However, the new parliament and cabinet contain historically low female representation: only seven female MPs among 300 directly elected members and three women in the 50-member cabinet. This gender gap contradicts stated women's empowerment goals, as female voices will have minimal influence on policy-making. Even the women's affairs minister is male, highlighting systemic barriers to female political participation.
Read at www.dw.com
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