Bangladesh Mahila Parishad has expressed deep concern over the declining participation of women in government jobs and demanded the restoration of a special quota for women in public service. In a media statement issued Tuesday (July 28), signed by the organization's President Dr. Fawzia Moslem and General Secretary Maleka Banu, the group said ensuring equal opportunity and representation for women requires reinstating quotas in specific sectors as part of positive policy support.

The statement referenced a recent report in a national daily, based on Public Service Commission (PSC) recruitment data and expert opinions, which highlighted a decline in women's representation in administration. Mahila Parishad called this not merely a matter of falling recruitment numbers but a significant policy challenge for women's participation and equal rights at the state level. The organization noted that women's participation in higher education remains inadequate, and factors such as unequal distribution of family responsibilities, social discrimination, safety concerns, and other longstanding barriers prevent women from competing on equal footing, affecting their presence at senior administrative and decision-making levels.

Mahila Parishad emphasized that reserved quotas for women are an internationally recognized policy, also endorsed under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The organization urged the state and government to continue quotas and other affirmative measures until women achieve equal and fair representation in government jobs and decision-making positions, describing this as a precondition for building a democratic, non-discriminatory, and inclusive state.