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The Daily Star, in collaboration with UNDP Bangladesh, convened a crucial roundtable discussion addressing the persistent underrepresentation of women in Bangladesh's political landscape. Our report highlights the stark reality: despite decades of female leadership at the highest levels, women's meaningful political empowerment remains elusive. The recent national election saw a historic low in directly elected women, a deeply concerning trend that demands immediate attention.

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Even after decades of female leadership at the top, nearly 99 percent of people in Bangladesh hold some form of gender bias. About 70 percent still believe men make better political leaders than women.

Our analysis, informed by the UNDP Gender Social Norms Index, reveals that deeply ingrained societal gender biases, with a significant majority of Bangladeshis holding prejudiced views about women's leadership capabilities, are a major impediment. This is compounded by structural barriers within political parties, which often fail to nominate qualified female candidates, effectively creating a tripartite barrier for women as candidates, activists, and even voters.

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The low level of participation is a red signal. It is time to act.

The upcoming local government elections present a critical juncture. It is imperative that political parties move beyond tokenism and implement reforms to ensure genuine inclusion. As ActionAid Country Director Farah Kabir rightly stated, parties must take responsibility for cultivating and supporting female talent, ending the excuse of 'candidate scarcity.' The Daily Star will continue to scrutinize these efforts, demanding accountability and advocating for a political system that truly reflects the nation's diversity.

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In a country of 180 million people where 51 parties participated, 41 parties could not find a single qualified female candidate.