Jamaat women’s wing alleges attacks

Staff Reporter:

Placing a woman in the top leadership position is not the main concern for Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, the party’s women’s wing Secretary Nurunnisa Siddiqua said on Sunday, citing Quranic principles that assign men managerial roles over women.

“Jamaat is an Islamic organisation. We follow the principles of the Quran. Allah has made men in charge of women. Therefore, having a woman as ameer [party chief] is not our primary concern,” she told reporters at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka, following a meeting between a Jamaat delegation and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin.

“What matters most to us is whether women’s rights are being ensured,” Nurunnisa added, highlighting that women have significant representation within Jamaat’s organisational structure. She noted that approximately 43% of members in the party’s Majlis-e-Shura advisory committee are women.

During the meeting, the women’s wing submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission, alleging attacks on female activists and warning of a “deep conspiracy” ahead of the upcoming election. They cautioned that any attempt to obstruct women voters would be met with resistance.

The delegation also included Women’s Wing Assistant Secretary Saida Rahman and In-Charge of Political Affairs Habiba Chowdhury. Speaking to reporters, Habiba said women, who constitute 50% of the country’s electorate, deserve a fair and peaceful voting environment.

“For the last 15 to 16 years, many of our mothers and sisters could not exercise their voting rights. Now a section is conspiring to deprive them again,” she said, adding that documented evidence of attacks on female Jamaat activists in 15 locations had been submitted to the commission.

Habiba further noted that after receiving the memorandum, the commissioners listened attentively and assured that necessary steps would be taken to ensure women voters’ rights are protected.