United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s women wing on Sunday said there is no scope for a woman to hold the party’s topmost leadership position, citing Islamic principles. “Jamaat-e-Islami is an Islamic party and it is normal that an Islamic party must follow Islam. The Holy Quran states that men are the guardians of women. It is a Quranic directive and an obligation. Based on this, women cannot assume the top leadership position in any Islamic party,” said Jamaat’s Women Wing Secretary Nurunnisa Siddiqa replying to a question from reporters in the city’s Nirbachan Bhaban. Earlier, a delegation from the Jamaat-e-Islami Women Wing met Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin in the afternoon. Nurunnisa said holding a top position is not the core issue, rather ensuring women’s rights is what truly matters. Jamaat supports women leadership in politics: Shafiqur Rahman “Over the last 54 years, Bangladesh had two women prime ministers who remained in office for a long time. But have women’s problems been solved? Has violence against women declined? Have women’s rights been ensured? So, only having women in the top position does not automatically bring meaningful change,” she said. “That is why we do not consider attaining top leadership positions to be essential,” she added. Nurunnisa also claimed that women have significant representation within Jamaat’s organisational structure, noting that some 43 percent of members in the party’s Majlis-e-Shura advisory committee are women. During the meeting, the Women Wing submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission, alleging attacks on Jamaat’s women activists during election campaigns and accusing certain quarters of being involved in what they described as a ‘deep conspiracy’ to obstruct women’s political participation. The delegation included Women Wing Assistant Secretary Saida Rahman and Habiba Chowdhury, who is in charge of political affairs. Dr Habiba Akhter Chowdhury said women constitute nearly 50 percent of the country’s total voters. “So, we (women) want a free, fair and peaceful voting environment as our mothers and sisters could not get scope to exercise their voting rights for the last 15 to 16 years. “Now, a vested group is conspiring deeply to deprive women of this opportunity again,” she alleged. Habiba claimed that they submitted documents with photographs of attacks on Jamaat women to the Election Commission. Irregularities, injustice will no longer be accepted in politics: Jamaat Ameer “Intimidation will not work. Women are not weak—we are courageous. Wherever obstacles arise, resistance will be built, Insha’Allah,” she said. Habiba added that the Election Commissioners listened attentively to their complaints and assured them of taking necessary measures.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Sunday said that his party supports women leadership in politics and local government, along with economic empowerment of rural women, strong legal protection and social respect. In a Facebook post, he said false and misleading content has been circulating on social media aimed at misrepresenting their position. “I am sharing this to clarify our values and to refocus the conversation on our policies. Our manifesto has been clear from day one. We want women active and respected in education, healthcare, administration, entrepreneurship and public service,” he said. Jamaat, he said, is committed to uninterrupted education for girls, safe campuses, zero tolerance for harassment, women-centred healthcare in every district, equal pay, safe workplaces, childcare support and skills training for dignified employment. “These are not new positions. I publicly set out these principles months ago and reaffirmed them at my Policy Summit on 20 January 2026,” he said. The Jamaat chief said these positions are not reactions to rumours or online noise but reflect a long-standing and consistent vision. “Judge me by my record, my policies and my manifesto, not by false narratives,” he said, adding that he will formally launch his manifesto on February 3, where all these commitments will be detailed. “Our commitment is practical and measurable—safe education for girls, equal opportunity at work, women-centred healthcare, strong legal protection, economic dignity and real leadership for women,” he said. “A Bangladesh that respects women is a Bangladesh that moves forward, and that is the future we are building,” he added. Meanwhile, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) on Sunday staged a protest march on the Dhaka University campus, condemning the ‘offensive remarks’ about women made from the verified X account of Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman. The protest march was held in response to a post circulated on social media on Saturday which drew widespread criticism for its language towards women.

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