Women’s political empowerment in urban local government: a study on Cumilla city corporation

Abstract

Empowerment or involvement of women in leading procedure through gender complex specific policies are the precondition for attaining supportable progress in any emerging state, for instance Bangladesh. Constitutional requirements of Bangladesh can be seen as the landmark on the way to guaranteeing women’s equivalent entrance and amplified involvement in political authority arrangement at City Corporation layer to consolidate the local government also for the supportable progress of Bangladesh. It implies direct partaking of the people in instituting the local body and management of the matters of such organizations as well. However, constitutionally we are succeeding the local government structure in all tiers, on the other hand, not performing it appropriately in the true sense. Comilla is one of the ancient towns of the sub-continent. In the year of 1864, it was stated municipality and in 2003, Comilla Sadar Dhakin Pourashava was acknowledged. Through put an end to these two pourashavas and containing their regions, the announcement of the Comilla City Corporation happened on 10 July 2011. It was the historical event for Comilla City. In 5th January 2012, the first ever election was held of Comilla City Corporation. The second election was held successfully, on 30 March 2017. The current study was carried out on Comilla City Corporations twenty-seven wards of nine ward councilors of the reserved seat. All of them were elected from three wards by direct vote and participation of voters both men and women. The representatives were elected for five years. The key aim of this research is to carefully measure the contemporary situation of empowerment of women councilor of the ward from reserved seats.