Bangladesh, Sept. 18 -- A final draft of the July Charter, prepared by the National Consensus Commission, proposes that political parties nominate at least 5 percent female candidates for the 300 directly elected seats in parliament.

But several Islamist parties, including Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, and Nizam-e-Islami Party, have opposed even this modest quota.

The Charter's authors had originally recommended that parties nominate at least 33 percent women candidates, aligning with long-standing demands from women's rights groups and earlier reform commissions. But during the national dialogue, this proposal was gradually diluted, leading to deep disappointment among campaigners.

Badiul Alam Majumdar, a key ...