DHAKA: For more than three decades, Bangladesh was one of the few countries in the world to be led by women, yet there are almost none on the February 12 ballots.

Despite helping to spearhead the uprising that led to this vote, women are poised to be largely excluded from the South Asian country’s political arena.

Regardless of which parties win next week, the outcome will see Bangladesh governed almost exclusively by men.

“I used to be proud that even though my country is not the most liberal, we still had two women figureheads at the top,” first-time voter Ariana Rahman, 20. told AFP.

“Whoever won, the prime minister would be a woman.”