Nurunnesa Siddiqa, secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami’s women’s division, said women cannot hold top leadership roles in the party, describing women’s leadership as contrary to Quranic principles. She made the remarks while speaking to journalists at the Election Commission building in Agargaon, Dhaka.
Siddiqa said Jamaat engages in politics with the understanding that women cannot serve as the party’s top leader (Amir). Referring to Islamic interpretation, she stated that men are considered guardians of women and therefore leadership at the highest level remains reserved for men. She added that the key issue for Jamaat is not a woman holding the top post but whether women’s rights are protected.
She claimed Jamaat’s Majlis-e-Shura advisory body includes around 43 percent women representatives and that women are active in local elections. Party leaders also alleged that female activists face threats during campaign activities and submitted evidence of attacks on women in several locations to the Election Commission.
Jamaat leaders further raised concerns about the hacking of the party Ameer’s social media account after an offensive post about women appeared online. A general diary was filed with Hatirjheel police station regarding the incident. The party called for action to ensure the safety of women activists and a peaceful election environment.
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