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backgrounds, all of whom said the election has become a long-overdue test of accountability.

Taslima Akhter, labour rights activist and president of the Bangladesh Garment Sramik Samhati, said women’s economic empowerment and safety must sit at the centre of any political agenda.

“First and foremost, we want all workers -- women and men -- to receive equal pay and dignified wages, as wage discrimination persists in many sectors.

“Women workers, particularly in the garment sector and other industries, are often unable to develop their skills or advance due to household responsibilities and childcare… We demand the establishment of factory- and community-based daycare centres, to ensure a safe and supportive working environment.

She said a labour ordinance was issued recently, but its effective implementation is crucial. “It will only become a complete law once a parliament is in place.”

As the election nears, activists said women’s participation must extend beyond casting ballots. Shima Akhter, a frontline July activist and a Dhaka University student, said free, fair and inclusive polls were essential if women were to participate meaningfully, not only as voters but as leaders.

Safety, another recurring demand, cuts across generations.

Thirteen-year-old Samanta Islam, an eighth-grader at Monipur High School and College, said fear shapes her daily commute. “My aunt has to accompany me, worried about gangs, harassment or road accidents. I want a country where I can go to school confidently and free from fear.”

Pointing to gaps in the education system, she said schools frequently shut down, syllabuses remain incomplete, and classes are often not taken seriously. “Education is called the backbone of the nation -- but what will happen to our future if this situation continues?”

Media professional Prajukta Chowdhury said workplace safety remained a defining concern, stressing that women should be able to work late shifts and take part in public life without fear of harassment. “Crimes against women must be addressed regardless of political affiliation or social status.”

Mahbuba Akter Suma, an assistant professor at Jagannath University, said women continue to be pushed to the margins in male-dominated institutions. She recounted how a colleague was stalked during a short walk home, forcing her to stay away from work for days. “Such incidents take a toll on women’s mental health and are worsened by the lack of common rooms, breastfeeding spaces or female halls in many universities.”

Safety, many women said, also determines whether they can work at all.

For Shiuli Begum, a 40-year-old domestic worker in Dhaka’s Kazipara, political slogans hold little meaning without material change. Working in five households, she said no government had ever prioritised the roughly 2.5 million domestic workers, 80 percent of whom are women like her.

“Everything is moving forward, but the lives of female domestic workers are always left behind. Still, we ask for one thing -- to be treated as human beings and as workers.

“We are left unprotected. Rising living costs make it worse. Even subsidised food from TCB trucks does not reach us. Homeowners get the cards -- most of us do not.”

Umme S Sathi, a bank employee and mother of a toddler, said the absence of childcare facilities forces many women out of corporate careers, cutting short the professional lives of qualified workers.

For women with disabilities, exclusion is built into the system. Ashrafunnahar Mishti, executive director of the Women with Disabilities Development Foundation, called for a dedicated employment quota, mandatory accessibility in transport and infrastructure, and political representation, alongside an end to discrimination in public and private employment.

Economic insecurity also shapes the demands of women entrepreneurs. Noorjahan Kabir, owner of Pure Promise by Adv Noor, said women need low-interest, hassle-free loans, free from humiliation and bureaucratic barriers. “Many women lack collateral and face resistance even within their own families.”

But for many women, economic insecurity is compounded by the absence of justice.

Shahina Akter (not her real name), a rape survivor from Rangpur, called for an end to political protection for perpetrators and victim-blaming in society and courts, alongside faster trials, respectful treatment of survivors, and state-funded compensation to help victims rebuild their lives.

Meanwhile, Islamic education and moral development also feature among women’s priorities. SM Sharmin, a senior Arabic teacher at Tanjimul Ummah Girls Hifz Madrasa in Uttara, called for most madrasas to be brought under government regulation, with syllabuses free from content that could cause moral decay, alongside proper libraries and supervision.

In sports, veteran karate athlete Shamima Akhtar Tulee pointed to harassment and corruption within sports federations, calling for equal pay for women athletes and greater investment in individual sports.

In rural areas, the concerns are no less stark. Ayesha Siddika, a government primary school teacher in Patuakhali, called for stricter enforcement against child marriage, affordable menstrual hygiene products, and practical, life-oriented education in schools.

Tania Ahmed, a homemaker from Noakhali, said safety must begin at home, warning that without proper enforcement of the domestic violence law, homes turn into places of fear.

Shipra Rani Sarker, from Cumilla’s Laksam, whose husband abandoned her, said government support programmes for poor women often fail to reach those who need them most.

“These programmes must be properly monitored… Otherwise, no government will be of any use to us.”

Shireen Pervin Huq, head of the now-defunct Women’s Affairs Reform Commission, said meaningful change would require confronting entrenched structural weaknesses.

“The primary proposal is the creation of an independent, constitutional National Women’s Commission to hold all government ministries accountable, ensuring that women’s rights are built into the rules of business across every ministry.

“The women and children affairs ministry should move away from direct implementation towards a catalytic oversight role,” she said, suggesting that politically aligned bodies such as the Jatiya Mahila Sangstha be dissolved or merged with the Department of Women’s Affairs to ensure professional stability.

Shireen also called for a nationwide government campaign, implemented through secondary schools, particularly boys’ schools, to teach respect for women as human beings, citizens and equal members of society. “Addressing these priorities would allow further reforms to follow.”