Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman said the party has a plan to reduce working hours for employed women, speaking at the party’s manifesto launch in Banani, Dhaka, on Wednesday evening. The issue is not detailed in the written manifesto but was raised by the Ameer during his address.
He said Jamaat has a phased plan regarding women’s working hours. Under the proposal, employers would pay wages for the hours a woman works in an industry or institution, while the remaining compensation would be borne by the government. The manifesto separately mentions initiatives aimed at women’s economic participation, including a project titled “My Income, My Family” focused on training and tools rather than allowances, and promises safe work environments and fair wages.
At the event, the Jamaat Ameer paid tribute to martyrs of past mass movements and said the party is working toward building a “clean and moral” Bangladesh after August 5, 2024. He spoke of moving beyond past political culture and emphasized governance based on merit, innovation, and principles. He also described Jamaat’s manifesto as people-friendly, business-friendly, and focused on order and justice.
The manifesto outlines 26 priority areas, including youth empowerment, law and order, economic reform, industrialization, agricultural modernization, environmental targets, healthcare, education reform, and social security. It also includes commitments to safe and dignified work environments for women and equal citizenship rights.
Referring to recent controversy over a post from his X account, the Jamaat Ameer said he had faced attacks from “all sides” and forgave those who had engaged in what he described as character assassination. Party representatives have said the earlier post was published after the account was hacked. Leaders from other parties in the electoral alliance and diplomats from several countries were reported present at the event.
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