BangladeshPolitics – Jamaat-e-Islami Clarifies Stance on Women’s Leadership Ahead of Elections
BangladeshPolitics – Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has reiterated that its organisational framework does not allow women to hold the party’s highest leadership post, citing religious principles as the basis for the policy. The clarification comes days before the country heads into parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12, drawing attention to ongoing debates around gender, politics, and representation.
Party Position Rooted in Religious Interpretation
Speaking at the premises of the Election Commission in Dhaka on Sunday, a senior leader from the party’s women’s wing explained that Jamaat-e-Islami structures its leadership rules according to its interpretation of Islamic teachings. The party maintains that these principles guide both its internal organisation and its political activities.
Women’s Wing Secretary Nurunnisa Siddika told reporters that the party views leadership roles through a religious lens, stating that its understanding of Quranic guidance places men in the role of organisational heads. She said this belief shapes Jamaat’s policy on senior leadership positions and is applied consistently within the party’s hierarchy.
Explanation of Leadership Restrictions
Siddika referred to Quranic interpretations that, in the party’s view, assign leadership responsibility to men. Based on this understanding, she said, women are not eligible to serve as the party’s ameer, or top leader. Her remarks were reported by The Dhaka Tribune.
According to Siddika, Jamaat-e-Islami considers this position a matter of religious obligation rather than political strategy. She added that the party continues to operate within what it describes as a clear ideological framework, one that it believes aligns with Islamic values and long-standing organisational principles.
Candidate Selection and Internal Decisions
Addressing questions about the absence of female candidates from Jamaat’s parliamentary election lists, Siddika described the issue as an internal organisational matter. She said decisions on nominations are taken within the party’s own consultative processes and should be viewed in that context.
She also urged observers to broaden the discussion beyond leadership titles. According to Siddika, the more pressing concern should be whether women in Bangladesh are experiencing real improvements in safety, dignity, and access to rights, regardless of who occupies top political offices.
Broader Debate on Women’s Representation
Siddika pointed out that Bangladesh has been led by women prime ministers for much of the past five decades. Despite this, she questioned whether long-standing challenges faced by women, such as violence and discrimination, have been meaningfully resolved.
She argued that simply placing women in senior political roles does not automatically lead to better outcomes for women across society. In her view, effective leadership depends more on fairness, accountability, and humane governance than on the gender of those in charge.
Emphasis on Governance Over Gender
According to Siddika, Jamaat-e-Islami prioritises what it calls just and ethical leadership. She said the party believes meaningful social change comes from leaders who uphold dignity and justice for all citizens, rather than from symbolic appointments that may not translate into real-world improvements.
The party maintains that its approach is focused on long-term societal reform, grounded in moral and ethical considerations, rather than on meeting expectations around representation alone.
Concerns Raised by Women’s Wing Leadership
Meanwhile, Jamaat’s Women’s Wing chief Habiba Chowdhury highlighted concerns about women’s participation in the electoral process. She noted that women make up nearly half of Bangladesh’s voting population but have often faced obstacles in exercising their right to vote.
Chowdhury claimed that the party had reported at least 15 incidents to the Election Commission involving attacks on female Jamaat activists in different districts. She alleged that these incidents were politically motivated and called for stronger measures to ensure a safe environment for women during the election period.
Engagement With Election Authorities
Earlier the same day, a six-member Jamaat delegation, led by Assistant Secretary General Advocate Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, met with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin. The meeting focused on current electoral issues and concerns related to the conduct of the upcoming polls, according to party officials.