Dhaka, Feb 13 (IANS) With the lowest level of women’s participation in Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary elections, seven female candidates emerged victorious, local media reported on Friday, citing unofficial results.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), set to form the government with an absolute majority, saw six of its female candidates secure their respective seats under the paddy sheaf symbol.

The elected women candidates from several constituencies include Afroza Khan Rita from Manikganj-3, Israt Sultana Elen Bhutto from Jhalokati-2, Tahsina Rushdir Luna from Sylhet-2, Shama Obaid from Faridpur-2, Nayab Yusuf Kamal from Faridpur-3 and Farzana Sharmin Putul from Natore-1

Additionally, Rumin Farhana won the Brahmanbaria-2 seat as an independent candidate, having earlier been expelled from the BNP, Bangladeshi daily Dhaka Tribune reported.

As Bangladesh went to the polls, the United Nations expressed concern over the reports of violence against and harassment of women candidates and voters, especially those emanating digitally, and called for a "zero-tolerance approach".

A statement from the resident coordinator's office in Dhaka on Wednesday (local time) said, "The United Nations underscores that safe, inclusive and meaningful participation in public life is a fundamental right."

"Women in public life, including political leaders, activists, journalists, and human rights defenders, are reporting increased incidents of cyberbullying, deepfakes, coordinated harassment, and image-based abuse, including AI-altered and sexualised content," it said.

Last month, Bangladesh's Election Commission revealed figures highlighting the glaring disparity -- despite women comprising half the population, they remain vastly underrepresented among candidates.

Among the 2,568 aspirants for the February 12 polls, only 109 -- 4.24 per cent -- are women, with 72 nominated by political parties, while the rest are independents, Bangladeshi leading newspaper The Daily Star reported.

Reports suggest that the exclusion is stark among the radical Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, which fielded 276 candidates without a single woman, followed by Islami Andolan Bangladesh with 268.

The BNP, which was led by a woman for more than four decades, allocated tickets to only 10 women out of 328 aspirants for the 300 seats.

Several parties, including Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis with 94 candidates, Khilafat Majlis with 68, and the Bangladesh Islami Front (BIF) with 27, have entirely shut out women, fielding only male candidates.

Bangladesh witnessed escalating violence against women and children during the eighteen-month tenure of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, while critics raised alarm over excluding women from the decision-making process.

--IANS

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