Local governance in Bangladesh: towards a “critical mass” to combat discrimination against women with special reference to India

Women’s right to freedom from discrimination is the constitutionally entrenched fundamental right… and is repeatedly guaranteed in a series of legislation in Bangladesh. Bangladesh also assumes affirmative obligations to respect and ensure this right through ratifying over a dozen international human rights instruments. Despite that fact, discrimination persists in a pervasive form to deny women’s equal rights in legislative offices…, and women are unjustifiably deprived of their lawful rights and privileges….Legal initiatives and women’s activism across nations have forced to significant modifications in policies of political parties and laws to redress women’s meagre status in governance. Drawing upon this insight, this note recommends the reconceptualisation of laws and the selection criterion of political parties in Bangladesh to mitigate women’s disadvantaged positions in local government.