Since independence, Bangladesh has made significant gains in empowering women. It has formulated and implemented policies and programmes that improve the condition of women and girls. Maternal mortality and fertility rates have gone down, making Bangladesh attain gender parity in enrolment. Womens movement played a critical role in bringing about these changes. However, the womens movement faces many different challenges given the rapidly changing economic and political contexts at the national and global levels. For socially just and gender equal responses to these challenges, solidarity and coalitions among the various school of thoughts in Bangladesh are essential. The study is an attempt to trace the history of womens movements in Bangladesh and to discuss its achievements and internal and external challenges for a sustainable movement. The author weaves in broader historical changes and discusses the nature of the current political context.