Seven women candidates have been unofficially elected in the 13th National Parliamentary Election, according to results announced by the returning officers and the Election Commission.
Of the seven, six contested from Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which is set to form the government with an absolute majority, while one won as an independent candidate.
In Manikganj-3, BNP candidate Afroza Khanom Rita secured 167,345 votes with the party's 'sheaf of paddy' symbol, defeating her nearest rival Muhammad Saeed Noor of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, who got 64,242 votes. Rita is the convener of the district BNP, and daughter of former minister Harunur Rashid Khan Monno.
Israt Sultana Elen Bhutto was elected from Jhalakathi-2, obtaining 113,100 votes, comfortably ahead of Jamaat-e-Islami candidate S M Nayeamul Karim.
In Sylhet-2, Tahsina Rushdir Luna won by a margin of 79,321 votes, bagging 117,956 votes. She is the wife of former BNP organising secretary M Ilias Ali, who went missing in 2012. She has been politically active in the constituency since then.
In Faridpur-2, BNP candidate Shama Obaid Islam was unofficially declared elected with 121,694 votes.
In Faridpur-3, Nayab Yusuf Ahmed secured victory. Nayab, a member of the BNP National Executive Committee, is the daughter of former minister Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf.
From Natore-1, Barrister Farzana Sharmin Putul won with 102,197 votes, defeating her closest rival from Jamaat-e-Islami. Voting in the constituency was peaceful, with over 272,000 ballots cast.
Meanwhile, Barrister Rumeen Farhana was elected as an independent candidate from Brahmanbaria-2, securing 117,495 votes and winning by a significant margin. She had previously been expelled from BNP in last December over allegations of breaching party discipline.
According to an analysis, 85 women contested the election this year - 66 with party nominations and 19 as independents.
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