Saturday, 14 February, 2026
Seven women have been elected to parliament through direct votes in the 2026 election, marking a modest presence in a race where female participation remained strikingly low.
According to the Election Commission (EC), 81 of the 1,981 candidates who contested were women -- just 4.08 percent of the total.
Of them, seven secured victory, meaning 8.64 percent of female candidates were elected through direct public mandate.
The EC announced results for 297 constituencies by Friday afternoon following Thursday’s polling.
ALLIANCE NOMINEES AND AN INDEPENDENT WIN
Among the seven women elected, six were nominees of the BNP alliance and one contested as an independent.
Independent winner Rumeen, though expelled from the BNP, has long been associated with the party’s politics and previously served as a reserved-seat MP in the 11th parliament.
In Brahmanbaria-2, comprising Sarail, Ashuganj and parts of Bijoynagar, Rumeen won with the duck symbol, securing 118,547 votes.
She defeated BNP alliance nominee Zunaid Al Habib of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam by a margin of 37,568 votes.
STRONG SHOWINGS ACROSS DISTRICTS
In Manikganj-3, covering Saturia, Manikganj Municipality and eight Sadar unions, BNP candidate Afroza Khanam won in a landslide with 167,345 votes under the paddy sheaf symbol. Her nearest rival, Muhammad Saeed Noor of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, polled 64,242 votes.
Israt Sultana Elen Bhutto won in Jhalakathi-2 (Jhalakathi Sadar-Nalchity), securing 113,419 votes with the paddy sheaf symbol. Her closest challenger, SM Neamul Karim of Jamaat-e-Islami under the 11-party alliance, received 69,805 votes with the scales symbol.
In Sylhet-2 (Bishwanath and Osmaninagar), Tahsina Rushdir Luna – the wife of “missing” BNP leader M Ilias Ali -- received 117,956 votes to romp to a win over Muhammad Muntasir Ali of Khelafat Majlis, who secured 38,635 votes.
Farzana Sharmin was elected in Natore-1 with 102,726 votes under the paddy sheaf symbol, narrowly surpassing Jamaat-e-Islami nominee Md Abul Kalam Azad, who received 90,568 votes.
In Faridpur-2, Shama Obaid Islam won with 121,694 votes, defeating Khelafat Majlis candidate Md Akram Ali, who secured 89,305 votes.
Another BNP candidate, Nayab Yusuf Ahmed -- daughter of late BNP leader Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf -- was elected in Faridpur-3 with 148,545 votes. Her nearest rival was Md Abdut Tawab of the 11-party alliance.
According to the EC’s final list after the withdrawal of candidacies on Jan 20, 84 of the candidates were women -- roughly 4 percent of the total.
Of them, 66 ran on party tickets and 19 as independents. One candidate represented the Hijra community.
Affidavit analysis shows that 64 of the female candidates -- approximately 75 percent -- were graduates or postgraduates.
The largest age group among them was between 25 and 39 years, accounting for 32 candidates.
Occupational data suggests that about 67 percent of female candidates were engaged in professional work.
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Seven women have been elected to parliament through direct votes in the 2026 election, marking a modest presence in a race where female participation remained strikingly low.
According to the Election Commission (EC), 81 of the 1,981 candidates who contested were women -- just 4.08 percent of the total.
Of them, seven secured victory, meaning 8.64 percent of female candidates were elected through direct public mandate.
The EC announced results for 297 constituencies by Friday afternoon following Thursday’s polling.
ALLIANCE NOMINEES AND AN INDEPENDENT WIN
Among the seven women elected, six were nominees of the BNP alliance and one contested as an independent.
Independent winner Rumeen, though expelled from the BNP, has long been associated with the party’s politics and previously served as a reserved-seat MP in the 11th parliament.
In Brahmanbaria-2, comprising Sarail, Ashuganj and parts of Bijoynagar, Rumeen won with the duck symbol, securing 118,547 votes.
She defeated BNP alliance nominee Zunaid Al Habib of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam by a margin of 37,568 votes.
STRONG SHOWINGS ACROSS DISTRICTS
In Manikganj-3, covering Saturia, Manikganj Municipality and eight Sadar unions, BNP candidate Afroza Khanam won in a landslide with 167,345 votes under the paddy sheaf symbol. Her nearest rival, Muhammad Saeed Noor of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, polled 64,242 votes.
Israt Sultana Elen Bhutto won in Jhalakathi-2 (Jhalakathi Sadar-Nalchity), securing 113,419 votes with the paddy sheaf symbol. Her closest challenger, SM Neamul Karim of Jamaat-e-Islami under the 11-party alliance, received 69,805 votes with the scales symbol.
In Sylhet-2 (Bishwanath and Osmaninagar), Tahsina Rushdir Luna – the wife of “missing” BNP leader M Ilias Ali -- received 117,956 votes to romp to a win over Muhammad Muntasir Ali of Khelafat Majlis, who secured 38,635 votes.
Farzana Sharmin was elected in Natore-1 with 102,726 votes under the paddy sheaf symbol, narrowly surpassing Jamaat-e-Islami nominee Md Abul Kalam Azad, who received 90,568 votes.
In Faridpur-2, Shama Obaid Islam won with 121,694 votes, defeating Khelafat Majlis candidate Md Akram Ali, who secured 89,305 votes.
Another BNP candidate, Nayab Yusuf Ahmed -- daughter of late BNP leader Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf -- was elected in Faridpur-3 with 148,545 votes. Her nearest rival was Md Abdut Tawab of the 11-party alliance.
According to the EC’s final list after the withdrawal of candidacies on Jan 20, 84 of the candidates were women -- roughly 4 percent of the total.
Of them, 66 ran on party tickets and 19 as independents. One candidate represented the Hijra community.
Affidavit analysis shows that 64 of the female candidates -- approximately 75 percent -- were graduates or postgraduates.
The largest age group among them was between 25 and 39 years, accounting for 32 candidates.
Occupational data suggests that about 67 percent of female candidates were engaged in professional work.
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