Remove barriers that hold women back

Bangladesh’s position in The Global Gender Gap Report 2026 should evoke serious reflection among policymakers on the state of gender gaps in the country. Although the country continues to rank first in South Asia, its global position has fallen 55 places to 79th among 145 countries, while its overall gender parity score has dropped from 77.5 percent in 2025 to 71.2 percent this year. This decline is concerning as the country climbed an extraordinary 75 ranks to the 24th position last year.

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We need more women in politics

The index measures gender parity in four areas: economic participation and opportunity; educational attainment; health and survival; and political empowerment. It offers an indication of where the country is making progress and where it is falling behind. Our educational attainment has reached a record 96.1 percent, up 9.3 percentage points from 2006. The country has achieved full parity in primary and secondary enrolment, although a gap remains in higher education. Health and survival, meanwhile, remains largely unchanged at 96 percent. These gains show that proper attention and effective policies can produce meaningful progress. However, this progress has not translated into equal economic opportunities for women. In fact, economic participation and opportunity remains our weakest area, with a score of just 41.9 percent, placing the country 142nd among 145 countries. Since 2006, parity in labour force participation has also fallen from 61.1 percent to 48 percent.

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We must break the glass ceiling, for our own sake

The political picture is similarly disheartening. Bangladesh ranks 12th globally in political empowerment of women, with a score of 50.9 percent. It has maintained full parity on the head-of-state indicator since 2019, while the share of women in ministerial positions has increased from 9.1 percent in 2006 to 23.5 percent in 2026. Parliament, however, remains a glaring exception. Women’s parliamentary representation has fallen to a parity score of just 2.4 percent, the lowest recorded in the country. This raises an important question: why have gains in education not translated into comparable progress in economic participation and political representation in Bangladesh? It is not enough for women to have access to classrooms if they cannot participate equally in the labour market or have a meaningful voice in political decision-making.

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Political decisions must include women

Hence, the government and political parties must treat women’s participation as a key economic and democratic issue, not simply a matter of representation on paper. Political parties should create genuine opportunities for women to contest in elections and participate in decision-making, while electoral and political reforms should be implemented in consultation with women’s rights advocates and other stakeholders representing women’s interests. Our economic policies must also address barriers to decent and secure employment. Greater access to childcare, safe transport, flexible working arrangement, skills development, and protection from workplace discrimination can make employment more accessible for women. Their unpaid care responsibilities must also be recognised, reduced, and fairly shared. It must be ensured that women have the equal opportunity to participate in nation-building.