The Myth of Political Empowerment of Women in Bangladesh
“Without empowerment of women, the dream of democracy in Bangladesh will always be elusive.”
Dr. Dilara Chowdhury, Retired Professor and Chair of the Department of Government and Politics at Jahangirnagar University
Dr. Dilara Chowdhury, a distinguished political scientist and Professor Emeritus at Jahangirnagar University, delivered a bold and thought-provoking address on the realities behind women’s political representation in Bangladesh. In her presentation, “The Myth of Political Empowerment of Women in Bangladesh,” she dismantled the notion that leadership by women at the highest levels equates to true gender parity in political participation.
Drawing from decades of scholarship and lived experience, Dr. Chowdhury called out the persistent patriarchal structures that continue to marginalize women in party politics, governance, and decision-making spaces. She urged the nation to move beyond tokenism and toward genuine inclusion of women’s voices in shaping Bangladesh’s democratic future.
“It is a weak argument to say women are politically empowered just because the top leaders are women. They represent men—the patriarchy.”
