Women cruise to a historic high

Highest 18 women have won 22 parliamentary seats in Monday's battle of ballots, meaning the new parliament will have the highest number of at least 63 female lawmakers, including 45 to be elected to reserve seats, in the history of Bangladesh.

The fortunate female MP-elects have defeated their male counterparts in the landmark ballots for the ninth parliament in most cases by huge margins, giving the nation a hope for the long-desired empowerment of women.

This time 59 women candidates contested from 64 constituencies with Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina and her archrival BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in three seats each and Jatiya Party leader Rowshan Ershad in two.

Hasina and Khaleda have won in all the seats they contested from, but former first lady Rowshan Ershad has failed. Rowshan has suffered defeat in both Mymensingh-4 and Gaibandha-5 constituencies to the candidates of the AL, the leading component of the grand alliance of which JP is also a part.

The success of AL's women contestants is higher with 14 of its women leaders winning in 16 seats. From BNP only three leaders, including party chief Khaleda Zia, have won in five seats.

Announcing the election results this morning, Election Commission Secretary Humayun Kabir has lauded the women candidates for their performance and expressed hopes that they will be able to play an active role in politics in the days to come.

Other women who have won the Monday's election apart from the two former premiers are AL leaders Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury in Faridpur-2, Matia Chowdhury in Sherpur-2, advocate Shahara Khatun in Dhaka-18, Sanjida Khanam in Dhaka-4, Dr Dipu Moni in Chandpur-3, Nilufar Zafar Ullah in Faridpur-4, Sara Begum Kobori in Narayanganj-4, Meher Afroz Chumki in Gazipur-5, Sagufta Yasmin in Munshiganj-2, Rebeka Momin in Netrakona-4, Begum Monnujan Sufian in Khulna-3, Habibun Nahar in Bagerhat-3, Sultana Tarun in Kushtia-4 and Mahbub Ara Begum Gini in Gaibandha-4, and BNP candidates Rumana Mahmud in Sirajganj-2 and Hasina Ahmed in Cox's Bazar-1.

In the October 2001 parliamentary polls, 41 female candidates contested in 50 constituencies with Hasina and Khaleda in five each. They won in 13 seats with Khaleda in five and Hasina in four. It means, apart from the two top leaders, only four female candidates were able to win in the polls.

In the June 12, 1996 parliamentary election, only five candidates won in 11 seats. Khaleda won in five seats while Hasina in three. Three other fortunate women elected in that election are AL's Matia Chowdhury, BNP's Khurshid Jahan Haque and JP's Rowshan Ershad. In that election 36 female candidates contested in 48 seats.

A total of 46 women candidates took part in the fifth parliamentary polls held in February 1991. Of them, only four came out victorious. BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia won in five seats while AL President Sheikh Hasina, AL leaders Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury and Matia Chowdhury won in one seats each.