Record number of women vie in JS elections
Monday, 8 December 2008
A total of 82 intending women candidates filed nomination papers for 88 seats for the December 29 general elections, a figure that exceeded previous records of women contenders in terms of numbers, Election Commission (EC) officials said, reports BSS.
Awami League (AL) fielded the highest 21 women candidates followed by 18 by BNP but its crucial election ally Jamaat-i-Islami did not nominate any woman candidate to contest the polls though they had two women MPs in the past parliament from reserve seats.
Thirty-two women filed nomination papers as candidates of Jatiya Party (JP), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Workers Party and Bikolpodhara Bangladesh while 11 women intended to contest in individual capacity.
A total of 38 women took part in the election race for 46 seats during the 2001 polls while the figure was 36 in 48 constituencies.
Awami League president Sheikh Hasina and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia each intended to contest from three constituencies each.
Jatiya Party leader Raushan Ershad intended to contest from two constituencies.
In northwestern region, three women filed nomination papers for three of 21 seats and all of them were candidates of BNP-led four party coalition and Bikolpodhara. They are BNP joint secretary general Begum Selima Rahman and former lawmaker Israt Sultana Elen Bhutto of BNP and Saima Jalil of Bikolpodhara.
Awami League (AL) fielded the highest 21 women candidates followed by 18 by BNP but its crucial election ally Jamaat-i-Islami did not nominate any woman candidate to contest the polls though they had two women MPs in the past parliament from reserve seats.
Thirty-two women filed nomination papers as candidates of Jatiya Party (JP), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Workers Party and Bikolpodhara Bangladesh while 11 women intended to contest in individual capacity.
A total of 38 women took part in the election race for 46 seats during the 2001 polls while the figure was 36 in 48 constituencies.
Awami League president Sheikh Hasina and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia each intended to contest from three constituencies each.
Jatiya Party leader Raushan Ershad intended to contest from two constituencies.
In northwestern region, three women filed nomination papers for three of 21 seats and all of them were candidates of BNP-led four party coalition and Bikolpodhara. They are BNP joint secretary general Begum Selima Rahman and former lawmaker Israt Sultana Elen Bhutto of BNP and Saima Jalil of Bikolpodhara.