51% of the population, but Islamist parties resist even 5% direct quota for women MPsDespite women’s prominent role in Bangladesh’s pro-democracy uprising last year, efforts to improve their political representation face resistance, particularly from Islamist parties, as the country prepares for its next general election. But several Islamist parties, including Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, and Nizam-e-Islami Party, have opposed even this modest quota. “There’s not much more we can do,” he said after talks with political parties ended in July. While all major parties agree on increasing the number of reserved seats for women from 50 to 100, they remain divided over implementation. ACTIVISTS ‘FRUSTRATED’Women’s groups have condemned the political parties’ failure to commit to stronger representation.
