Despite being young, having limited financial resources, and still completing their education, three women have stepped into the electoral arena in Bangladesh. Relying on support from family members, relatives, and party workers, they are contesting the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election.

The three candidates are: Kamrunnahar Sathi from Comilla-6, Tahmina Akter from Narsingdi-5, and Fatema Akter Munia from Dhaka-13. All three are 25 years old—the minimum age required to run for parliament—making them the youngest female candidates in this election.

Each is contesting under a political party. Kamrunnahar Sathi represents the Bangladesh Socialist Party (BASAD) with the symbol “Moy.” Tahmina Akter and Fatema Akter Munia are candidates of Insaniyat Biplob Bangladesh, with the symbol “Apple.”

All three are competing against older and more experienced candidates. They hope voters will choose them based on their integrity and commitment rather than their party affiliation or election symbol.

Out of the total 2,017 candidates for the 13th parliamentary election on February 12, 85 are women. According to the election commission records, 64 of these female candidates (75%) have bachelor’s or master’s degrees, and nearly 67% are employed. The largest age group among candidates is 25–39 years, which includes 32 candidates, with three being 25. Other age brackets include 26–39 years (29 candidates), 40–50 years (31), 51–69 years (17), and over 70 (4). One candidate’s age was not reported.

Kamrunnahar Sathi (Comilla-6, BASAD)
Kamrunnahar Sathi, the oldest of three daughters in her family, holds an LLB from Britannia University, Comilla. Married to lawyer Russell Mia, she has two children and resides in Comilla. Her declared assets include 10,270 BDT in cash and an annual income of 240,000 BDT. She is still a student and awaits enrollment in an LLM program.

She says her decision to run is motivated by her desire to serve the community. “BASAD works for people’s rights. We don’t do politics for money. Voters who care will support us,” she told reporters. She relies financially on her husband and receives encouragement from family and party mentors.

Her competitors in Comilla-6 include Mohammad Monirul Haque Chowdhury (BNP) and Kazi Din Mohammad (Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami).

Fatema Akter Munia (Dhaka-13, Insaniyat Biplob Bangladesh)
Fatema Akter Munia is a final-year undergraduate student in English at Alhaj Mokbul Hossain University College, Dhaka. She was born on October 9, 2000, making her 25 years, 2 months, and 20 days at the time of nomination. She has declared 101,000 BDT in cash and 1,000 BDT in the bank. Fatema emphasizes that responsibility, not age, matters most. “Young people are the future. If they follow the right path, the country is safe in their hands,” she said.

Munia stresses her party’s focus on human rights and equality. “Voters want change, and they don’t support corruption or discrimination. I hope to ensure safety for every citizen if elected,” she added. She is contesting against Bobby Hajjaj (BNP) and Maulana Mohammad Mamunul Haque (Khelafat Majlish).

Tahmina Akter (Narsingdi-5, Insaniyat Biplob Bangladesh)
Tahmina Akter, born October 7, 2000, is also 25 years old and currently pursuing postgraduate studies after completing a bachelor’s in philosophy at Dhaka University. She manages a small cattle farm and lists her occupation as agriculture. Her declared assets include 210,000 BDT in cash and 2,500 BDT in the bank.

Tahmina says her candidacy is driven by honesty and responsibility. While some older voters dismiss her as “just a young woman,” she is receiving strong support from youth voters. “People want candidates from parties that prioritize human rights and equality, not corruption or injustice,” she said. Her competitors include Mohammad Ashraf Uddin (BNP) and Tajul Islam (Khelafat Majlish).