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7 out of 83 women candidates elected to Bangladesh parliament, 6 from Tarique Rahman's BNP
Seven women candidates have been reportedly elected to Bangladesh parliament including Afroza Khan Rita, Shama Obaid, Nayab Yusuf Kamal and Farzana Sharmin.
Seven women candidates, six of whom belong to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), have been elected to parliament in the 13th national elections. BNP won a majority of more than two-third seats in the parliamentary polls conducted on Thursday.
A total of 2028 candidates from 50 political parties and independents, contested in 299 seats across Bangladesh, including 83 women.
Among the elected women candidates, six are from BNP, while one woman has been elected as an independent candidate from Brahmanbaria-2, Dhaka Tribune reported, citing unofficial tallies. She was previously expelled from BNP.
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Who are the female candidates
The elected women candidates are:
- Afroza Khan Rita from Manikganj-3
- Shama Obaid from Faridpur-2
- Israt Sultana Elen Bhutto from Jhalokati-2
- Nayab Yusuf Kamal from Faridpur-3
- Farzana Sharmin Putul from Natore-1
- Tahsina Rushdir Luna from Sylhet-2
- Barrister Rumin Frhana from Brahmanbaria-2
Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by Trique Rahman won the general elections after it crossed the majority mark, followed by the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance bloc, which won 76 seats, Reuters reported.
The election comes after a prolonged turmoil in the country following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government in 2024. Since then, an interim government under Muhammed Yunnus has been the incharge.
National Citizen Party (NCP), which played a key role in toppling the Hasina government, won just 5 of the 30 seats it contested. NCP was part of the Jammat-led alliance.
Also read: Sheikh Hasina's Delhi exile under lens as BNP returns to power in Bangladesh
Over 1,700 candidates contested the general elections from more than 50 political parties along with independents.
Several key leaders of BNP won in strategically important seats including Tarique Rahman from Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6. Former commerce minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury secured victory in Chattogram-11 in the southeast.
Tarique Rahman has not yet commented on the majority obtained by his party. BNP has reportedly asked people to refrain from large celebrations and offer special prayers on Friday instead.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the US ambassador to Bangladesh, Brent T. Christensen, were among the first to congratulate Rahman on his party's victory.
