Photo: BSS

RANGPUR, Aug 8, 2026 (BSS) - Member of Parliament from reserved women's seat-36 Advocate Rezeka Sultana Fency today said ensuring women's active participation and representation is essential to make Local Government Institutions (LGIs) stronger, more effective, accountable and participatory.

The lawmaker said this while speaking at a roundtable titled "Women's Representation in the Upcoming LGI Elections: Expectations and Actions" as the chief guest today.
 
The Bikoshito Nari Network (Enlightened Women Network) with the assistance of The Hunger Project- Bangladesh organised the roundtable at the NGO Forum auditorium in the city.
 
Rangpur district unit Vice-president of the Bikoshito Nari Network Shahnaz Parveen presided over the event moderated by Rangpur region coordinator of The Hunger Project-Bangladesh Rajesh Dey.
 
Rangpur Metropolitan BNP member Ashfaqul Islam Basunia Azad, Jamaat-e-Islami Metropolitan Committee Publicity and Media Affairs Secretary Advocate Md Kawsar Ali, Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal Metropolitan Committee General Secretary Arjana Salek and Bikoshito Nari Network Rangpur District unit General Secretary Afroza Sharmin Kona addressed the dialogue as special guests.
 
The speakers said that increasing women's participation is very important to make the local government system more effective and people-oriented. 
 
They placed special emphasis on the effective role of political parties in developing qualified women's leadership and increasing social awareness. 
 
They also said that due to the conservative social system and lack of social security, women face various problems in moving freely at work or outside the home at night. 
 
Advocate Rezeka Sultana Fency MP said that women must be promoted and the family must come forward first. 
 
Everyone must work in a coordinated manner to remove social barriers to ensure effective participation and representation of women in any election. 
 
"In this regard, apart from the family, political parties, administration, Election Commission, civil society and the media must play the biggest role," she said. 
 
The MP said that women's political participation is not a favor, it is their constitutional and democratic right and their participation must be increased at every level of decision-making to further strengthen the development and democracy of Bangladesh.
 
"It is the joint responsibility of the state and society to create a favorable environment for qualified, honest and public-minded women to participate in elections," she said. 
 
She emphasized the need to change the perspective to ensure effective participation and representation of women in local government elections, along with ensuring a safe environment and security.