Speaker proposes abolishing reserved seats for women in parliament

Speaker Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram has proposed abolishing the system of reserved seats for women in Parliament, suggesting instead that political parties nominate women candidates for direct elections in one-third of parliamentary constituencies.

He made the proposal while addressing a special discussion organised by the All-Party Parliamentary Caucus for Disadvantaged People in Dhaka on Thursday (November 12).

Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said women in Bangladesh were now advancing in various fields on the strength of their own abilities and were no longer lagging behind as they had in the past. He said it was time to reconsider the need for reserved seats for women in Parliament.

He suggested that political parties nominate women candidates in one-third of constituencies in direct elections, allowing them to secure parliamentary representation based on their own merit and public support.

The meeting was the first formal exchange of views between the All-Party Parliamentary Caucus and representatives of disadvantaged communities since the caucus was formed. The Speaker also shared his observations on the country's political and social situation.

Blaming politicians for the country's current situation, he said people who were not involved in politics often found it difficult to understand how and why the country was governed in the way it was.

He urged politicians to reform themselves, saying that improvements in their conduct could bring broader changes to the country. If politicians changed, the country as a whole would change, he added.

Criticising the activities of political parties, the Speaker said politicians were often more concerned with using party politics to secure their own interests than addressing the problems and rights of disadvantaged people.

Referring to the previous three national elections as “farces”, he said that such an electoral culture no longer existed in the country. He also described the latest national election as the fairest and most acceptable in the country's history.