TIB finds 20% of women in reserved parliamentary seats are in debt, 65% millionaires

At least three candidates own more than 1.16 kg of gold, while another reportedly owns over 5.8 kg, the anti-graft body says

Around 20 percent of female lawmakers from reserved women's seats in the parliament are in debt, while over 65 percent are millionaires, according to an analysis by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).

The local chapter of the Berlin-based anti-graft watchdog released the findings on Thursday, the same day the Election Commission (EC) issued a gazette notification officially declaring 49 female members of parliament (MPs) elected unopposed.

The newly elected members include 36 from the BNP-led alliance, 12 from the Jamaat-e-Islami alliance, and one independent candidate, according to EC Joint Secretary Moin Uddin Khan.

The TIB analysis of the candidates' affidavits reveals a significant concentration of wealth alongside financial liabilities.

About 20.41 percent of the MPs carry some form of debt or liability, while both BNP and Jamaat candidates show an identical debt rate of 22.22 percent, the anti-graft body said.

A total of 32 out of 49 candidates (65.31 percent) are millionaires, with assets valued at over Tk 10 million. Among them, 26 out of 36 BNP candidates (72.22 percent) and 5 out of 9 Jamaat candidates (56 percent) fall into this category.

The combined immovable assets of these millionaire candidates amount to Tk 660 million, while their movable assets total Tk 780 million.

At least three candidates own more than 1,166 grams of gold, either individually or jointly with their spouses, and another has reported owning 5,855 grams of gold, according to the findings.

The TIB report highlights that the reserved seat members are more highly educated than their counterparts elected in general seats.

Among women in reserved seats, 63.3 percent hold a Master’s degree or higher, compared with 50.7 percent of MPs elected through direct voting, the TIB said.

Meanwhile, 27 percent are graduates, while 4.1 percent have completed Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) level education.

Self-educated candidates make up 4.1 percent, and those with only secondary education account for 2.1 percent.

The legal profession dominates the reserved seats, with lawyers making up 26.5 percent of the candidates -- more than double the 11 percent found among general seat MPs.

The second most common profession is business (22.5 percent), followed by homemakers (12.2 percent), teachers (10.2 percent), politicians (8.2 percent), and doctors and other professions, each accounting for 4.1 percent.

While TIB noted that the inclusion of highly educated professionals and lawyers is a positive sign, it warned that the dominance of wealth and specific professions mirrors the trends seen in general seats, which may have long-term implications for parliamentary representation.