The nomination as well as indirect election of the MPs by the party will make them accountable only to the party concerned and not to the general people, they added.

The nomination process was just an eyewash and the women who had strong lobby ultimately got the nomination of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), said Farida Akhter, a women's rights activist.

" If there would have been the provision for direct election, the women candidates could have a chance to communicate with people and prepared themselves to compete for the election," she said.

Political empowerment of women could not take place in the country since 1972 only for indirect election system, she added.

The nominated women are unlikely to place any issues concerning general people at the House as they are totally detached from them and dependent on the mercy of the party leaders, said Farida.

The present system is also worse than the previous one which allowed a non-partisan candidate to seek nomination, she added.

Defending the indirect election to reserved seats for women in parliament, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Moudud Ahmed said the present system introduced by the alliance government is much better than previous one.

" It is more democratic and on a par with international practice. Earlier all the 30 reserved seats went to the majority party. But henceforth the increased 45 reserved seats will be distributed among the different parties proportionately," he said.

Terming the rights activists' demand for direct election in the reserved seats as self-contradictory Moudud said there is no country where direct election is held in women's reserved seats.

" It is also not possible constitutionally," he added.

Begum Motia Chowdhury, former agriculture minister of Awami League, questioned if the women can contest for union parishad (UP) chairman post through direct election then why direct election cannot be held in women's reserved seats in parliament?

"As Awami League is not going to parliament, it did not take part in the election to reserved seats for women," she reasoned for her party's nonparticipation.

"As the nominated women MPs are not directly elected by the people, they would have no responsibility to them and the nation cannot expect anything from them," said President of Karmojibi Nari Shirin Akhter.

But the government officials concerned said the nomination system provides privilege and creates scope for women's empowerment.

"In fact the people's representatives are nominating the women MPs and from now on more women can play their role in parliament," said Chairperson of Jatiya Mahila Sangstha, adding that no government actually tends to do anything bad, rather they always take positive steps.

"The applicants are also not ready for direct election. It is difficult for them to reach so many people and it involves so much money in direct election," said Dr Hasina Banu who sought nomination from Jessore.

She however said direct election in women's reserved seats is a must and the government will have to pass a bill for direct election someday.