Country
UN Women Region
Electoral system type
Electoral system sub-type
First-past-the-post
Type of legislated quotas
Method of filling seats
Directly elected
Ranking/ placement
Sanctions for non compliance
Quota for input only OR input and output (quota on results as corrective measure)
Date
Quota target (level) in %
33.00
Women's representation in single/lower house in %
23.50
M49 Code
Provisions on gender quotas (Yes/No) - Constitution
Provisions on gender quotas (Yes/No) - Electoral Law
Provisions on gender quotas (Yes/No) - Parity Law
Provisions on gender quotas (Yes/No) - Party Law
M49 Region
Local Level
true
Quota Application
Quota does not apply to all types of local government.
Provisions on gender quotas (Yes/No) - Local Government Law
Legal Source (name) - Local Government Law
City corporations act, 2009 (amended through 2015); Union parishad act, 2009 (amended through 2015); Municipality act, 2009 (amended through 2022); District council act, 2000 (amended through 2022); Upazila parishad act, 1998 (amended through 2015); Rangamati Hill district parishad act, 1989 (amended through 2014)
Legal provisions - Local Government Law
• Each city corporation shall consist of the following persons: (A) the mayor; (B) the number of councilors determined by the government by notification in the Official Gazette; and (C) the prescribed number of councilors reserved for women only under sub-section (2). (2) An equal number of one-third of the number of councilors prescribed under clause (b) of sub-section (1), hereinafter referred to as reserved seats, shall be reserved for women: provided, however, that the reserved seats shall not preclude the direct participation of women candidates in non-reserved seats. (City corporations act, article 5)
• Within one month of the first meeting held after the formation of the city corporation, the councilors shall, preferably, elect from among themselves a panel of three members of the mayor. Provided, however, that one of the three elected mayoral panels must be a councilor in a reserved seat. (City corporations act, article 20)
• For the purpose of election of members in the reserved seats, a union shall be divided into 3 (three) wards. (Union parishad act, article 3)
• The union parishad shall consist of 1 (one) chairman and 12 (twelve) members of whom 9 (nine) shall be members of general seats and 3 (three) shall be members of reserved seats. (2) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (3), the chairman and members of the general seat shall be elected by direct vote in accordance with these laws and rules. (3) In every union parishad only 3 (three) seats shall be reserved for women, which shall be called reserved seats, and the members of such reserved seats shall also be elected by direct vote in accordance with these laws and rules: provided, however, that, under the provisions of sub-section (1), the direct participation of women candidates in the election of members of 9 (nine) general seats shall not be barred. (Union parishad act, article 10)
• Within 30 (thirty) working days of the first meeting held after the formation of the council, a panel of chairman consisting of 3 (three) members, preferably, the members shall elect from among themselves: provided, however, that at least 1 (one) of the 3 (three) chairman panels elected shall be elected from among the women members of the reserved seats. (Union parishad act, article 33)
• For each municipality, one-third of the number of councilors, then referred to as reserved seats, shall be reserved for women as determined by notification in the Official Gazette by the government under sub-section (2) (b) of section 7. (2) The councilors of the reserved seats shall be elected by direct adult vote in accordance with this act and the rules made under it: provided, however, that nothing in this section shall infringe upon the right of a woman to be directly elected to a seat outside the reserved seat. (Municipality act, article 7)
• Within one month of the first meeting held after the formation of the municipality, the councilors shall, preferably, elect a panel of three mayors from among themselves. Provided, however, that one of the three elected mayoral panels must be a councilor from a reserved seat. (Municipality act, article 40)
• The council shall consist of the following members, namely: - (A) a chairman; (B) fifteen members; and (C) five female members of reserved seats (2) The chairman, members and women members shall be elected by the vote of the constituency constituted under section 18. (District council act, article 4)
• Within thirty days of the first meeting of the council, the council shall elect a panel of interim chairmen consisting of at least one woman and three members from among its members. (District council act, article 13)
• Each district shall be divided into as many wards as may be elected for the election of members other than women. (2) Each district shall be divided into as many wards as the number of women members to be elected. (District council act, article 14)
• In accordance with the provisions of this act, the upazila parishad shall consist of the following persons, namely: (A) the chairman; (B) two vice-chairmen, one of whom shall be a woman; (C) the chairman of each union parishad in the area of the upazila or the person acting as the chairman temporarily; (D) the mayor of each municipality in the area of the upazila, if any, or the person acting as the mayor temporarily; and (E) women members of reserved seats as per sub-section (4). (4) An area equal to one-third of the total number of union parishads and municipalities in each upazila, hereinafter referred to as reserved seats, shall be reserved for women who have reserved seats for union parishads and municipalities in the area of that upazila. Women members or councilors will be elected from among them: Provided, however, that nothing in this section shall infringe upon the right of a woman to be directly elected to a seat outside the reserved seat. (Upazila parishad act, article 6)
• The council shall consist of (a) a chairman; (b) twenty tribal members; (c) ten non-tribal members; (d) three female members out of which two tribal and one non-tribal. (Rangamati Hill district parishad act, article 4)
• Within one month of the first meeting held after the formation of the city corporation, the councilors shall, preferably, elect from among themselves a panel of three members of the mayor. Provided, however, that one of the three elected mayoral panels must be a councilor in a reserved seat. (City corporations act, article 20)
• For the purpose of election of members in the reserved seats, a union shall be divided into 3 (three) wards. (Union parishad act, article 3)
• The union parishad shall consist of 1 (one) chairman and 12 (twelve) members of whom 9 (nine) shall be members of general seats and 3 (three) shall be members of reserved seats. (2) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (3), the chairman and members of the general seat shall be elected by direct vote in accordance with these laws and rules. (3) In every union parishad only 3 (three) seats shall be reserved for women, which shall be called reserved seats, and the members of such reserved seats shall also be elected by direct vote in accordance with these laws and rules: provided, however, that, under the provisions of sub-section (1), the direct participation of women candidates in the election of members of 9 (nine) general seats shall not be barred. (Union parishad act, article 10)
• Within 30 (thirty) working days of the first meeting held after the formation of the council, a panel of chairman consisting of 3 (three) members, preferably, the members shall elect from among themselves: provided, however, that at least 1 (one) of the 3 (three) chairman panels elected shall be elected from among the women members of the reserved seats. (Union parishad act, article 33)
• For each municipality, one-third of the number of councilors, then referred to as reserved seats, shall be reserved for women as determined by notification in the Official Gazette by the government under sub-section (2) (b) of section 7. (2) The councilors of the reserved seats shall be elected by direct adult vote in accordance with this act and the rules made under it: provided, however, that nothing in this section shall infringe upon the right of a woman to be directly elected to a seat outside the reserved seat. (Municipality act, article 7)
• Within one month of the first meeting held after the formation of the municipality, the councilors shall, preferably, elect a panel of three mayors from among themselves. Provided, however, that one of the three elected mayoral panels must be a councilor from a reserved seat. (Municipality act, article 40)
• The council shall consist of the following members, namely: - (A) a chairman; (B) fifteen members; and (C) five female members of reserved seats (2) The chairman, members and women members shall be elected by the vote of the constituency constituted under section 18. (District council act, article 4)
• Within thirty days of the first meeting of the council, the council shall elect a panel of interim chairmen consisting of at least one woman and three members from among its members. (District council act, article 13)
• Each district shall be divided into as many wards as may be elected for the election of members other than women. (2) Each district shall be divided into as many wards as the number of women members to be elected. (District council act, article 14)
• In accordance with the provisions of this act, the upazila parishad shall consist of the following persons, namely: (A) the chairman; (B) two vice-chairmen, one of whom shall be a woman; (C) the chairman of each union parishad in the area of the upazila or the person acting as the chairman temporarily; (D) the mayor of each municipality in the area of the upazila, if any, or the person acting as the mayor temporarily; and (E) women members of reserved seats as per sub-section (4). (4) An area equal to one-third of the total number of union parishads and municipalities in each upazila, hereinafter referred to as reserved seats, shall be reserved for women who have reserved seats for union parishads and municipalities in the area of that upazila. Women members or councilors will be elected from among them: Provided, however, that nothing in this section shall infringe upon the right of a woman to be directly elected to a seat outside the reserved seat. (Upazila parishad act, article 6)
• The council shall consist of (a) a chairman; (b) twenty tribal members; (c) ten non-tribal members; (d) three female members out of which two tribal and one non-tribal. (Rangamati Hill district parishad act, article 4)