Jamaat’s women say leadership role for women is ‘secondary’ as men are ‘directors’

The women’s division of the Jamaat-e-Islami has said it views men as women’s “directors” and thus does not consider holding the top position in the party as “important”.

They made the remarks at a briefing at the Nirbachan Bhaban on Sunday, after a meeting between a Jamaat delegation and the chief election commissioner, which was also attended by representatives of the party’s women’s wing, bdnews24.com reports. 

At the meeting, a memorandum was submitted to the Election Commission (EC) on behalf of the women’s wing, where they raised allegations of attacks on Jamaat's female workers during the election campaign and a “deep conspiracy” against them.

The delegation included Jamaat’s women’s division Secretary General Nurunnisa Siddiqui, Assistant Secretary Saida Rahman, and Habiba Chowdhury, in charge of political affairs.

Habiba said, “Women make up 50 percent of the country’s voters, and we want to vote in a fair and peaceful environment.

“For the past 15-16 years, our mothers and sisters have not been able to vote. A group is now trying to ruin that opportunity.

“We have submitted photographic evidence of attacks on women in 15 places to the commission. There is no point in intimidating us.

“Women are not helpless. We are brave, and we will resist wherever obstacles arise, God willing.”

Nurunnissa said, “The Jamaat-e-Islami is an Islamic organisation. We follow the provisions of the Quran.

“Allah Almighty has made men the ‘directors’ of women. Therefore, a woman occupying the top position [Ameer] is not important to us.

“The important thing is whether women's rights are being realised.

“There have been two female prime ministers in the country in the last 54 years, but has women’s safety improved? We want humane leadership.”

She claimed that women make up about 43 percent of Jamaat’s Majlis-e-Shura advisory committee and are also participating in local elections in large numbers.