News Flash
DHAKA, March 16, 2026 (BSS)- Election Commissioner Begum Tahmida Ahmed today said establishing good governance and maintaining law and order are prerequisites for women’s development.
“Women are not inhabitants of some distant island and that men and women are not separate entities. Once good governance is established, our development will take place and women’s development will also be ensured,” she said.
She made the remarks a views-exchange meeting at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital’s Agargaon in the capital marking International Women’s Day.
Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin attended the event as the chief guest while Election Commissioners Abdur Rahmanel Masud and Md Anwarul Islam Sarkar and EC’s Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed also spoke.
In his speech, Abdur Rahmanel Masud said women’s presence in the last national election was encouraging.
The turnout of female voters played a decisive role in determining victory and defeat, though women’s participation as candidates was disappointing, he said.
Masud said the EC expects that women’s leadership will increase in the local government elections. If direct elections are introduced for the 50 reserved seats, women’s participation will also increase there.
Anwarul Islam Sarkar said the country has witnessed one of the best elections in history, but performance in terms of women’s leadership was not satisfactory.
He said it would be very difficult for the commission alone to address the issue unless political parties take decisions in this regard, adding that a change in political culture is also necessary.
Akhtar Ahmed presided over the programme held under the slogan “Ensure equality and build the future together with women and men” marking International Women's Day 2026.
Additional Secretary of the EC Secretariat K M Ali Newaz, UNDP Resident Representative Stefan Liller, UN Women Country Representative Gitanjali Singh and UNESCO Country Representative Dr Susan Vize were also present, among others.
