Bangladesh may have reserved 45 extra seats for women in the country's parliament, but women activists are clearly not happy.

Most women leaders say they are unhappy with the new system because it would lead to political parties "selecting women MPs", eventually impeding their empowerment in politics.
 

The activists say more and more women should be elected to parliament directly.

The ruling coalition led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Monday passed a bill in parliament reserving 45 seats for women. This will be besides the 300 seats parliament already has, for which anyone can contest.

In the present parliament, seven women, including Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and opposition leader Sheikh Hasina Wajed, were elected in October 2001.

When the provision of keeping 30 reserved seats for women in parliament expired in 2001, all major political parties pledged to work towards holding direct election to the seats reserved for women in parliament.

"The way in which women MPs for reserved seats will be elected will not be respectful," leading contemporary novelist Selina Hossain told IANS.

"We talk about political empowerment of women, but the system of selecting women MPs by political parties will make them lag behind," she said.

The Awami League has slammed the bill.

Ayesha Khanam, a senior women rights activist and general secretary of the Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, one of the oldest women organisations, told IANS: "The bill shows utter disregard for women."

"I believe it would bring a negative impact on the process of political empowerment of women which is badly needed in this country," she said. 

Bidisha Ershad, a leader of the Jatiya Party of former president H.M. Ershad, said that the movement for direct election to women's seats should not be given up.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Moudud Ahmed, who piloted the bill Monday, said it was almost impossible to hold direct elections to the women only seats under the present socio economic scenario.
 
Of the 45 seats where women MPs will be selected, the Awami League will have nine seats, the Jatiya Party two while the remaining seats will be given to the ruling coalition.

--Indo-Asian News Service