DHAKA: A total of 26 female candidates have been elected as chairman in the recently held ninth Union Parishad (UP) polls, a significant step towards women empowerment by their representation in grass-root politics.

Some of them were elected as independent candidates and some won unopposed.

However, the Election Commission (EC) conducted the six-phase UP election that ended on June 4.

According to the EC report, as many as 26 female candidates won the post of chairman.

Among the female chairmen, 21 from ruling Awami League (AL) won in the election and one from Jatiya Party (JP) while remaining four were independent.

Among them, five female contestants were elected unopposed.

The election was held in six phases in 4,087 UPs across the country.

However, the representation of female chairmen is 0.64% of the total UPs.

BDST: 1646 HRS, JUN 07, 2016
SAS/RR/SMS