The International Women’s Day Committee staged a protest at the National Press Club on Sunday, condemning what it described as misogynistic remarks made by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman, and calling for accountability during the election period.
At the demonstration, speakers alleged that Dr Rahman had repeatedly made derogatory comments about working women, including statements portraying women who participate in public life in a demeaning manner and suggesting that they should remain confined to the home.
The organizers said such remarks undermine women’s dignity and their constitutional right to equal participation in society.
Citing data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics’ Labour Force Survey 2024, the protesters noted that approximately 23.7 million women are currently engaged in the workforce across agriculture, education, health, industry, banking, services, retail and domestic work.
Women are also working as doctors, engineers, pilots, entrepreneurs, athletes, and professionals in technology and scientific fields.
“The contribution of women is central to the country’s economy and social development,” organisers said, adding that comments dismissing women’s public roles ignore this reality and reflect “deep-seated prejudice”.
The protesters also referred to a recent interview given by Dr Rahman to Al Jazeera, in which he said that due to what he described as “biological differences,” women could not lead Jamaat-e-Islami, calling female leadership within the party “impossible” under Islam.
He also acknowledged that Jamaat has never nominated women candidates in parliamentary elections, despite previously expressing agreement in principle with an Election Commission proposal to nominate at least 5% women candidates.
Speakers at the protest said this position highlights a contradiction between public commitments and political practice, and reinforces structural discrimination against women in politics.
The Committee further alleged that Jamaat and allied groups promote a political narrative that narrowly defines women’s roles as “ideal mothers or sisters,” while portraying women who fall outside this framework in negative terms.
They cited recent incidents, including derogatory remarks directed at Dhaka University students and events described as “hijab rallies” targeting female students following the July 2024 uprising, as part of a broader pattern of exclusionary politics.
The protesters urged the government and the Election Commission to take firm action against misogynistic speech and conduct by political leaders during the election campaign, and to prevent the use of religion to justify discrimination.
They also called on voters to reject politics that, in their words, promote hatred and inequality, stressing that the upcoming national election must uphold democratic values and guarantee equal rights and dignity for all citizens, regardless of gender.
The protest concluded with a call for greater vigilance to ensure that women’s rights and participation remain protected in the country’s political process.
