After gaining its independence in 1971, Bangladesh has made significant progress in advancing the rights of women. Fighting alongside men in Bangladesh’s Liberation War, women played a vital role in establishing the country’s subsequent constitution promising them equal opportunities in “all spheres of national life.” The 2021 Global Gender Gap Report, which measures economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment ranked Bangladesh 65th out of 156 countries. They have had a female head of state for longer than any other country in the world, and representation in parliament continues to rise with women holding seats in 12,000 local political offices. While these gains have been achieved, traditional customs continue to stifle female empowerment. However, women remain vigilant in their fight for equality, with female-led NGOs and women’s movements playing an integral role in securing opportunities and mainstreaming gender policies.
Despite strong gender biases and patriarchal stereotypes, Bangladesh has seen a steady increase in female sports participation over the past two decades. The success of the women’s national cricket team, champions of the 2018 ACC Women’s Asia Cup, has spurred a shift in attitudes surrounding female sports. In 2020, Mirona Khatun became the first female head coach of a men’s soccer club in Bangladesh when she was hired by Dhaka City FC. This represents a huge milestone for women in sports around the globe and a major step toward gender-related improvements in Bangladesh.
Meet and support global leaders creating change in Bangladesh:
Ashreen Mridha
Wasfia Nazreen
How does Bangladesh compare to other countries?
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Women in Leadership
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT AS OF 2020
21%
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN MINISTRY POSITIONS AS OF 2020
8%
Has a Woman Ever Been Head of State or Head of Government?
Khaleda Zia, 1991 - 1996, 2001 - 2006
Sheikh Hasina, 1996 - 2001, 2009 - Present
HAS A WOMAN EVER BEEN SPORTS MINISTER?
Unknown
Title IX Timeline
1971
Proclamation of Bangladeshi Independence on March 26th led to the nine-month long Bangladesh Liberation War, that culminated with East Pakistan emerging as the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
1972
Women gained the right to vote (full suffrage).
1984
Accession of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
1991
Khaleda Zia became the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
1992
Shahana Parveen became the first woman to represent Bangladesh in the Olympics.
2000
Bangladesh signed and ratified the Optional Protocol to CEDAW.
2019
Bangladesh signed the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, affirming that peace and security efforts are more sustainable when women are equal partners in the prevention of violent conflict, the delivery of relief and recovery efforts and in the forging of lasting peace.
Women in the olympics
participation through the years
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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2
-
6
-
4
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2
Women in the Paralympics
participation through the years
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
Elite Sports Participation
First Year Women Participated In The Olympics
1992
Year Women’s Participation In Olympics Was Equal To Men’s
2000
First Time A Woman Won An Olympic Medal
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First Year Women Participated In The Paralympics
The first woman could be you!
Year Women’s Participation In Paralympics Was Equal To Men’s
N/A
First Time A Woman Won A Paralympic Medal
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FIFA
Fédération Internationale de Football Association
National Women’s Team?
Yes
First Year Of Play
2010
Pay Gap Comparison
Pay Unknown
Gender Initiatives
FIFA is committed to the growth and development of women’s football around the globe.
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FIBA
Fédération Internationale de Basketball
National Women’s Team?
Yes
First Year Of Play
2009
Pay Gap Comparison
Pay Unknown
Gender Initiatives
Increasing the participation of women in basketball at all levels was named as one of FIBA’s eight strategic objectives (2019- 2027) and one of FIBA’s three strategic priorities (2019-2023).
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