Bangladesh: President, 18 February 2018

At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Bangladesh

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Abdul HAMID
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA Wajed
• Assembly: Bangladesh has a unicameral National Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad) with 350 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by parliament to serve a 5-year term.
• Prime Minister is appointed by the President.
• In the National Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad) 300 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.***

*** There are 50 additional seats reserved for women. These seats are distributed among political parties in proportion to their overall vote share in the election. All candidates are approved through a vote by parliament.

Main candidates in this election:*

• Abdul HAMID
  • Party: Awami League

* Incumbent Abdul HAMID was elected unopposed. Parliament elects the president of Bangladesh.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 157,826,578 (July 2017 est.)
• Registered Voters: 81,130,973 ( 2008 )

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 79,177,320 (2016)

·         Is Bangladesh a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Bangladesh ratified CEDAW: Yes (since 6 November 1984)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: No

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 71 (of 350)

·         Human Development Index Position: 142 (2016)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very High (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Bangladesh a signatory to CRPD: Yes (9 May 2007) 

·         Has Bangladesh ratified CRPD: Yes (30 November 2007)

·         Population with a disability: