Nagorik coalition on Sunday called for the direct election of women from at least 100 parliamentary constituencies in the upcoming national election, aiming to ensure greater political empowerment and representation of women.

The demand was raised at a press conference titled “Direct Election of Women in Parliament: Necessity, Challenges and Solutions” held at The Daily Star Centre in the capital.

Speakers at the event stressed that alongside national elections, women's representation must also increase in local government bodies.

They underscored the need for greater economic empowerment of women to support this transition.

BNP Organising Secretary Shama Obaid expressed her personal support for the direct election of women but emphasised that the process must be conducted properly.

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“We use women’s votes in elections, push them to the front lines during movements where they risk being shot. Half of our population is female, yet we fall short when it comes to ensuring their rights,” she said.

Shama added that genuine political will from all parties is essential to enhance female leadership.

She also said that the BNP supports increasing the number of reserved seats to 100 but stressed that women in reserved seats should not feel inferior or sidelined.

Speaking at the event, Shirin Sharmin Haque, head of the Women’s Reform Commission, said expanding the number of seats in Parliament has become a necessity of the time.

She pointed out that to reduce hostility towards women in politics, non-conventional proposals have been made, and their implementation is now more crucial than ever.

“We must not hold women back under any circumstances,” she asserted.

Dr Tasnim Jara, senior joint member secretary of the National Citizen Party (NCP), said she is hopeful that all political parties will reach a consensus to ensure that at least 25 per cent of lawmakers are directly elected women.

“Women must be given a chance to enter Parliament through direct voting. Female candidates face many challenges, and we must find ways to address them,” she said.

She also questioned the frequent scrutiny over the qualifications of female candidates while the same is not asked of their male counterparts, despite women playing vital roles in various sectors, especially in rural areas.

Besides, they called for the introduction of direct election mechanisms to bring more women into Parliament and ensure their rightful place in national decision-making.