The Bengal Lens । Opinion| 1 May 2025
In a recent statement that has drawn both attention and controversy, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman declared that if his party comes to power, “women will do the work of their choice.” But his next sentence exposed a darker undertone: “But I must say, currently, women lack dignity, honour, and security. We, InshaAllah, will ensure complete dignity, honour, and security for women.” (Source).
At first glance, this may sound like a promise of liberation — but a closer examination reveals a veiled attempt to paint women as currently degraded and in need of rescue, a classic trope in patriarchal and conservative narratives. It reeks of the same misogyny wrapped in the language of moral guardianship — a type of rhetoric historically used to control, not empower.
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A Pattern of Patriarchy in Political Clothing
Jamaat-e-Islami’s track record on women’s rights is far from progressive. The party has a long and well-documented history of opposing women’s equal participation in politics, education, and the workforce. From resisting female leadership to advocating for gender-segregated education systems, Jamaat has consistently treated women as second-class citizens — confined within the boundaries of what the party deems “dignified.”
The claim that women “lack honour” in the current social fabric is not only offensive, it’s an erasure of the progress women have made in Bangladesh — often in spite of political and religious structures like the one Jamaat represents. The assertion implies that dignity and security for women can only be granted under a specific political regime, rather than being intrinsic human rights.
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False Empowerment or Thinly Veiled Control?
Dr. Shafiqur Rahman says women will “do the work of their choice.” But history suggests that such “choice” is often conditional. What defines “acceptable” work in Jamaat’s view? Will this include leading corporations, serving in the armed forces, pursuing entertainment careers, or being politically active?
The vague language is deliberate. By presenting the current state of women’s lives as lacking dignity and safety, he subtly reinforces a sense of crisis that only Jamaat, supposedly, can fix — a manipulative psychological tactic used to win obedience rather than offer true empowerment.
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A Reality Check
Despite facing obstacles, women in Bangladesh have made tremendous strides — from Prime Ministers and parliamentarians to factory workers, journalists, scientists, and entrepreneurs. The challenges are real: harassment, wage gaps, discrimination. But the solution does not lie in surrendering their agency to those who believe women are broken, dishonoured beings in need of “fixing.”
If Jamaat truly wants to empower women, they must begin by reckoning with their own past and rejecting the notion that women need to be wrapped in layers of moral supervision to be worthy of rights. True dignity comes from freedom, not filtered permission.
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The Politics of ‘Protection’
Jamaat-e-Islami’s narrative reflects a familiar authoritarian pattern — the politics of “protection,” which often masks the desire for control. Dr. Shafiqur Rahman’s words may masquerade as compassionate concern, but their implication is clear: women are not yet worthy, not until they conform to a vision of womanhood approved by the party.
