UNB, Dhaka :
Though almost half of the country’s total voters are women, their representation in key local government posts is still very insignificant as a very few women were elected as mayors or chairmen of the local bodies in elections in recent years. The women representation is less than one percent in the chairman posts of Union Parishad, while just over one percent in mayoral post of municipality and chairman post of upazila parishad.
Among the country’s 11 city corporations, there is only one female mayor-Dr Selina Hayat Ivy – the mayor of Narayanganj City Corporation. According to the Election
Commission’s statistics, the country has around 10 crore voters, including 50.37 percent men and 49.63 percent women.
Women leaders said political parties should promote women by incorporating them in their various committees and giving nominations to more women to contest the national election and local body ones for ensuring their political empowerment at all levels. The EC statistics show only 29 women were elected chairmen in the 2016 Union Parishad election, while four won mayoral posts in the 2015 municipal election and five women clinched chairman posts in the 2014 Upazila Parishad election.
A total of 482 upazilas, out of the country’s 489, went to polls in 2014, but only five women candidates won the chairman posts. The five women upazila chairmen are Moni Chakma in Barkal upazila of Rangamati, Kamrun Nahar Sheuli in Kabirhat of Noakhali, Sabira Sultana in Jhikargachha of Jessore, Shelina Akhter Chowdhury in Monpura of Bhola and Nasima Jaman Bobby in Rangpur Sadar.
Besides, three women- Sanwara Begum in Ukhia upazila, Mini Akhter Urmi in Savar upazila and Rashida Begum in Gaibandha sadar-are in charge of acting chairman. Some 240 out of the country’s 324 municipalities went to elections in 2015 and early 2016, when only four women were elected mayors. They are Jannatun Ferdous in Singra municipality of Natore, Uma Chowdhury in Natore, Begum Ashanur Biswas, wife former AL minister Latif Biswas, in Sirajganj and Hasina Gazi, wife of AL MP Golam Dastagir Gazi, in Rupganj of Narayanganj.
Though almost half of the country’s total voters are women, their representation in key local government posts is still very insignificant as a very few women were elected as mayors or chairmen of the local bodies in elections in recent years. The women representation is less than one percent in the chairman posts of Union Parishad, while just over one percent in mayoral post of municipality and chairman post of upazila parishad.
Among the country’s 11 city corporations, there is only one female mayor-Dr Selina Hayat Ivy – the mayor of Narayanganj City Corporation. According to the Election
Commission’s statistics, the country has around 10 crore voters, including 50.37 percent men and 49.63 percent women.
Women leaders said political parties should promote women by incorporating them in their various committees and giving nominations to more women to contest the national election and local body ones for ensuring their political empowerment at all levels. The EC statistics show only 29 women were elected chairmen in the 2016 Union Parishad election, while four won mayoral posts in the 2015 municipal election and five women clinched chairman posts in the 2014 Upazila Parishad election.
A total of 482 upazilas, out of the country’s 489, went to polls in 2014, but only five women candidates won the chairman posts. The five women upazila chairmen are Moni Chakma in Barkal upazila of Rangamati, Kamrun Nahar Sheuli in Kabirhat of Noakhali, Sabira Sultana in Jhikargachha of Jessore, Shelina Akhter Chowdhury in Monpura of Bhola and Nasima Jaman Bobby in Rangpur Sadar.
Besides, three women- Sanwara Begum in Ukhia upazila, Mini Akhter Urmi in Savar upazila and Rashida Begum in Gaibandha sadar-are in charge of acting chairman. Some 240 out of the country’s 324 municipalities went to elections in 2015 and early 2016, when only four women were elected mayors. They are Jannatun Ferdous in Singra municipality of Natore, Uma Chowdhury in Natore, Begum Ashanur Biswas, wife former AL minister Latif Biswas, in Sirajganj and Hasina Gazi, wife of AL MP Golam Dastagir Gazi, in Rupganj of Narayanganj.
