RESERVED SEATS FOR WOMAN IN THE PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM OF BANGLADESH

S. M. Atik Ul Hoque :

From the very beginning reserved seats for women is focused in the parliament of Bangladesh which is the highest platform of democracy in this county.

The constitution of Bangladesh tells us about gender equality and women empowerment. Our constitution encourage women to join in the national level politics by reserving few seats for them in the parliament.

After independence, Fifteen Indirectly elected reserved seats for women in the national parliament was provided by the constitution of 1972.

The Constitution (17th Amendment) Bill, 2018 was passed by 298-0 votes. The number of reserved seats was increased to 50 through the 15th constitutional amendment in 2011, but the time limit for the reserve seats was not extended. According to the draft bill, the 25-year period of the reserved seats will be counted from the first day of the 11 parliament. In 2004, the 8th parliament extended the tenure of the reserved seats by 10 years through a constitutional amendment, which came into effect in the 9th parliament, which sat on January 25, 2009. The 8th parliament increased the number of reserved seats from 30 to 45, while the 9th parliament raised it to 50.

The provisions of reserved seats are adopted by the Constitution in Article 65 of Part V. Article 65 (2) specified that the Parliament shall consist of 300 members to be elected in accordance with law from single territorial constituencies by direct election and the members shall be designated as Members of Parliament. Also added that, this reservation Does not create any bar to direct participation in the election for general seats.

Women’s meaningful representation in Bangladesh continues to lag behind that of men, due to deeply ingrained cultural, socio-economic, and religious reasons. In addition to these issues, which are present to varying degrees in almost every country in the world, there are unique challenges associated with the way the vast majority of women are elected into office in Bangladesh. Although Bangladesh’s adoption of various TSMs is a positive first step toward improving women’s political representation, its reserved seats systems require reform in order to address key issues that systematically undermine women’s effective political leadership.

At present in Bangladesh, the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, Speaker and Deputy Leader of the House are all women. Number of women among the Justices of the Supreme Court, top positions of the administration – secretaries, additional secretaries, joint secretaries, deputy commissioners, top positions of police, armed forces and UN peacekeepers, indicates improvement in women’s empowerment. This has been possible due to a reserve quota created by this government for women employment at every level of administration to enhance women participation in government jobs.

Women’s Reservation seats is something which the country needed yesterday rather than we fighting for it today. The motive behind separate reservation of seats was, undoubtedly, in the interest of female candidates but it no longer exists since conditions have changed. Society has evolved women do not need to be encouraged to take part in political affairs anymore.

I feel astounds to be a part of a governance system where rather than trying to refine a social issue; our law makers make more sincere political efforts to invigorate it. In its essence and philosophy, one-third reservation for women is sugar-coating and telling a woman that “hey, you might be the apple of your parent’s eye but in the society, you are a mere human from the weaker sections of the society who needs aid to surface”. The question is why are we unapologetically trying to impose the tag of “weaker” or “handicapped” upon a woman? When the Constitution says that all men and women shall be treated equally, why has a time come when we need to identify women as some backward class?

Women are not flimsy or feeble. They are only unfortunate victims of both human and social perversion. And just because they are the worst affected victims of crimes and oppression, it doesn’t mean that they have become eternally doomed. Giving them reservations on the ground that this will enhance their position and participation politically, socially and economically, is like cutting the wounded wings of a bird; just because it appears unable to fly, it is made to lose its wings of flight, independence and courage forever. A democratic and developing Bangladesh rather demands laws which would assert that “the legislative bodies are as much a right of a man as a woman’s and vice-versa”. This is a capacitated statement of genuine empowerment. And I would definitely want to hear it one day.

Writer : Student, Northern University.