' s ▁elected ▁president ▁p led ged ▁to ▁bring ▁women ▁equal ▁rights . ▁ ▁Bang l adesh ▁Bang l adesh ▁was ▁( most ly ) ▁the ▁province ▁of ▁Beng al ▁in ▁India ▁until ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁then ▁it ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁Pakistan . ▁It ▁became ▁an ▁independent ▁nation ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 . ▁Women ▁have ▁had ▁equal ▁suff rage ▁since ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁and ▁they ▁have ▁reserved ▁seats ▁in ▁parliament . ▁Bang l adesh ▁is ▁notable ▁in ▁that ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁two ▁women , ▁namely ▁She ikh ▁Has ina ▁and ▁Beg um ▁Kh ale da ▁Z ia , ▁have ▁served ▁terms ▁as ▁the ▁country ' s ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁continu ously . ▁Women ▁have ▁tradition ally ▁played ▁a ▁minimal ▁role ▁in ▁politics ▁beyond ▁the ▁anom aly ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁leaders ; ▁few ▁used ▁to ▁run ▁against ▁men ; ▁few ▁have ▁been ▁minister s . ▁Rec ently , ▁however , ▁women ▁have ▁become ▁more ▁active ▁in ▁politics , ▁with ▁several ▁prominent ▁minister ial ▁posts ▁given ▁to ▁women ▁and ▁women ▁particip ating ▁in ▁national , ▁district ▁and ▁municipal ▁elections ▁against ▁men ▁and ▁winning ▁on ▁several ▁occasions . ▁Ch oud h ury ▁and ▁Has an uzz aman ▁argue ▁that ▁the ▁strong ▁patri arch al ▁trad itions ▁of ▁Bang l adesh ▁explain ▁why ▁women ▁are ▁so ▁rel uct ant ▁to ▁stand ▁up ▁in ▁politics . ▁ ▁India ▁ ▁Women ▁in ▁India ▁were ▁allowed ▁to ▁vote ▁right ▁from ▁the ▁first ▁general ▁elections ▁after ▁the ▁independence ▁of ▁India