The Forum for Women鈥檚 Political Rights on Tuesday demanded mandatory nomination of women aspirants by political parties to contest the national election.
This was one of their six demands for reforming electoral laws ahead of the 13th national election.
Representatives of the forum raised the demands in a meeting with chief election commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at the Election Commission headquarters in the capital鈥檚 Agargaon area.
The forum delegation was led by Women鈥檚 Reform Commission member Mahin Sultan, and attended by Naripokkho executive council member Sadaf Saaz Siddiqi, Bangladesh Nari Mukti Kendra president Seema Dutta, and Nari Samhati chief Shyamoli Shil.
Election commissioners Abdur Rahmanel Mashud, Tahmida Ahmed, Md Anwarul Islam Sarkar, and Abul Fazl Md Sanaullah, as well as the commission secretary Akhtar Ahmed, were also present.
The forum鈥檚 demands included the mandatory nomination of women candidates, greater leadership roles for women within party structures, provision of campaign funds equivalent to expenditure limits, policies and guidelines to prevent online and offline harassment, direct elections to reserved seats in parliament, and inclusion of a 鈥榥o鈥� vote option on ballots.
After the meeting, Mahin Sultan told reporters that the discussion was very fruitful and that positive outcomes had been achieved on several issues.
She explained that the Forum had presented its expectations for ensuring equal dignity for women voters, candidates, and citizens, and said that the EC had indicated that some measures would be taken.
Mahin emphasised the need for political parties to nominate 33 per cent women candidates, saying that proper representation in elections would only be possible if every party ensured one-third of its nominees were women.
She also mentioned that the dialogue had given them an important opportunity to present their concerns and demands directly to the commission.
