Jamaat alleges attacks, harassment of women activists

Staff Reporter :

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Monday alleged that women activists of the party are being attacked and harassed in several areas, including Dhaka-15, during ongoing election campaigning, warning that the situation could worsen if the administration and the Election Commission fail to act decisively.

The allegations were made by Ehsanul Mahbub Zubayer, Jamaat’s assistant secretary general and head of its central publicity department, after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin at the Election Commission headquarters in Agargaon on Monday afternoon.

“Workers of a major party are attacking our women activists in different places. They are being harassed and humiliated. Their veils are being pulled off, and their mobile phones are being taken away,” Zubayer told reporters. “If the administration and the Election Commission play their proper role, it is still possible to ensure a beautiful level playing field. If these are not controlled, the situation may deteriorate further before the election.”

EC senior secretary Akhtar Ahmed was present at the meeting. Jamaat’s delegation also included assistant secretary general Maulana Abdul Halim and election management committee member Aliullah Noman.
Zubayer said attacks on Jamaat’s women activists had intensified over the past four days.

“These assaults are being carried out deliberately. We are deeply concerned and anxious about what is happening,” he said.

According to him, the Election Commission assured the delegation that it would immediately communicate with the relevant authorities and take necessary steps. “They told us they will act. Now we want to see what role they actually play,” he added.

He said Jamaat had already lodged complaints in the concerned areas but expressed dissatisfaction with the response so far. “We are not seeing a very effective role from the law enforcement agencies,” he said, calling on returning officers, the police and officials deployed in the field to ensure protection for women engaged in campaign activities.

Zubayer stressed that women constitute nearly half of the country’s electorate and play a crucial role in political outreach. “Women naturally feel more comfortable speaking to women. It is a positive development that women are becoming more active in politics and participating in the electoral process,” he said.

Referring to the February 12 referendum alongside the 13th Jatiya Sangsad election, he said the public expected women from all parties to play a “wonderful role” in both exercises. “We want to ensure a beautiful, safe and secure environment for all women who are working. But it is unfortunate that women activists of our party are facing severe misconduct from one party, creating deep concern,” he said.

The Jamaat leader also raised issues related to election administration, alleging that in some areas even magistrates had obstructed teachers enlisted as polling agents from carrying out election-related duties. “Some have been fined or told they cannot work in elections,” he said.

“We immediately pointed out that if an enlisted teacher is also contesting an election, why can he not serve as an election worker?” Zubayer said, adding that EC officials expressed surprise and said they would take steps.

“They said some field officials are having difficulty understanding the legal provisions. But confusion over legal interpretation should not lead to the humiliation of a teacher,” he added.

Responding to allegations that Jamaat women activists were collecting national ID numbers or mobile financial service details under party instruction, Zubayer denied any such directive. “We have no information that our women have done this, and we have issued no instruction to go door to door asking for ID numbers or bKash numbers. Why would they ask for that?” he said.

He claimed Jamaat was currently receiving “extraordinary support” from women across the country, as well as from young people and students. “We believe it is because of this growing support that a major party is behaving in this way,” he said.

On why Jamaat has not fielded more women candidates, Zubayer said about 40 percent of the party’s activists are women, a proportion he claimed was higher than in other parties. He said the party’s culture does not encourage individuals to seek nominations on their own, and candidates are chosen based on grassroots proposals.
“In the case of men, party decisions are binding. But for women, it is left to their own choice, considering their overall social realities,” he said.