Seven women elected MPs in 13th National Parliament Election

Seven women candidates have been elected as Members of Parliament (MPs) in the 13th National Parliament Election, reflecting a growing presence of women in Bangladesh’s political landscape.

Of the seven winners, six were nominated by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which secured an absolute majority, while one ran as an independent candidate.

The victorious female MPs include Afroza Khan Rita (Manikganj-3), Ishrat Sultana Elen Bhutto (Jhalokati-2), Tahsina Rushdir Luna (Sylhet-2), Shama Obaid (Faridpur-2), Nayab Yusuf Kamal (Faridpur-3), Farzana Sharmin Putul (Natore-1) and Barrister Rumin Farhana (Brahmanbaria-2).

Among them, Ishrat Sultana Elen Bhutto and Barrister Rumin Farhana bring prior parliamentary experience. Sultana Elen Bhutto was elected as a BNP representative in 2001, while Rumin Farhana previously served in the 11th parliament under the party’s reserved women’s quota. Their re-election is seen as a combination of continuity and renewed public support for female leadership.

The victories come as the BNP is poised to form the government for the fourth time in the country’s history, ending a 20-year period out of power. Analysts say the election results signal a strengthened role for women in national politics, highlighting a wider trend of female participation in parliamentary governance beyond the reserved quota.

The newly elected women MPs have pledged to focus on issues such as education, health, women’s empowerment and local development. Their presence in the 13th parliament is expected to bring a fresh perspective to policymaking and strengthen gender-inclusive governance in Bangladesh.