Bangladeshis are increasingly demanding inclusive representation in politics and governance, particularly for marginalized communities, according to a recent opinion poll by Democracy International (DI). The findings were highlighted at a roundtable discussion titled “Priorities of All People in Politics and Government”, jointly organized by Democracy International and The Business Standard at the TBS office on Thursday, a press release said.
The DI survey conducted in late 2025 revealed that 96 percent of respondents believe political parties should do more to represent persons with disabilities, 85 percent called for improved representation of ethnic minorities, and 81.3 percent urged stronger inclusion of religious minorities.
In her opening remarks, Catherine Cecil, Chief of Party of Democracy International in Bangladesh, said citizens across the country expect political parties to be far more inclusive. “When overwhelming majorities call for better representation of persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and religious minorities, it shows that inclusion is no longer optional—it is a democratic necessity,” she added.
Highlighting the need for structural reform, women’s rights activist Ferdous Ara Rumee said that although women played a significant role in driving the July uprising, this contribution has not been reflected in political representation in the post-uprising electoral process. She noted that out of 2,568 candidates contesting the election, only 109 are women, and that none of the 30 registered political parties have met the five-percent women’s nomination benchmark discussed at the National Consensus Commission, raising the question of whether the country truly lacks qualified women to nominate. Rumee also expressed concern over the rise in technology-facilitated gender-based violence since the uprising, noting that women’s safety—particularly in digital spaces—has declined, and emphasized that political parties must take concrete action and be held accountable for ensuring safer environments for women both online and offline.
Shipon Kumar Rabidas, candidate from Bogura-5 representing the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), said inclusive politics must ensure leadership emerges from every community, including Dalits, indigenous peoples, third-gender persons, tea workers, and persons with disabilities, stressing that representation should be reflected in nominations and decision-making rather than remain symbolic.
Speaking on inclusive governance, Fahima Nasrin Munni, Co-Secretary of International Affairs of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), said that despite women making up 51 percent of the electorate, their representation in politics remains inadequate. She outlined BNP’s policy measures to promote inclusion and women’s empowerment, including farmer cards, family cards, expanded scholarships, and financial support, and emphasized that inclusive governance must ensure equal participation for all citizens, including persons with disabilities.
Calling for inclusive governance, Md Helal Uddin of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami said a nation cannot be strong if half its population is left behind, underscoring the importance of women’s participation across all sectors. From his party’s perspective, he stated that all citizens are equal regardless of religion and rejected the notion of “minorities” as a separate category, citing the nomination of a Hindu candidate as an example of inclusion. He acknowledged that Jamaat did not field female candidates in the current election due to limitations in the political environment and preparation, but committed to greater inclusion of women in future political processes and emphasized the state’s responsibility to ensure women’s safety, workplace access, childcare support, and women-friendly public infrastructure.
Aruna Rani Das of the Dalit Women’s Forum said decisions affecting Dalit communities must not be made without their participation, stressing that equal access to employment, education, and protection from violence is essential to ending discrimination.
Human rights activist Ilira Dewan said decisions affecting indigenous and marginalized communities must involve their direct participation, noting that a functioning democracy requires all ethnic, religious, and social groups to actively shape the state rather than remain passive observers. She called for constitutional guarantees of equal rights for indigenous peoples and youth, and noted that indigenous youth participated equally in the July uprising but faced attacks in the post-July period without adequate political response. Questioning this silence, she asked why political parties did not stand with indigenous communities during these incidents. Dewan also raised concerns over the July Charter’s declaration of Bangla as the state language, stating that Bangla is not her mother tongue and emphasizing her right to practice and preserve her own language.
Manindra Kumar Nath, Acting General Secretary of the Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikya Parishad, called for a dedicated law to protect religious and ethnic minorities, warning that without legal safeguards these communities remain vulnerable to violence, displacement, and exclusion.
Nasima Akter, President of the Jatiya Parishad for Physically Challenged Women, said persons with disabilities should not be treated as passive beneficiaries but must have meaningful opportunities to lead and influence political decisions. Questioning the absence of Members of Parliament with physical disabilities, she stressed the need for representatives from within the community who understand these lived challenges, and called for reforms to the voting system to ensure the security and privacy of votes for persons with disabilities, particularly those who require caregiver support.
Highlighting the importance of youth inclusion, Taslima Akter, Gender Analyst for UNDP’s Ballot & DRIP project, noted that with 4.5 million first-time youth voters this year, political parties must design election manifestos that address diversity and intersectional issues to ensure young people’s voices are meaningfully represented. Pronoy Ghosh, M&E Officer at UNDP, emphasized the importance of such dialogues ahead of the elections and reaffirmed UNDP’s continued support for implementing citizen dialogues with donor assistance.
The discussion was moderated by Saleem Ahmed, Executive Editor of The Business Standard, and concluded with a vote of thanks by Catherine Cecil.
The citizen dialogue was organized under the B-SPACE project, implemented by Democracy International, with funding support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and UN Electoral Project Ballot & DRIP.
