Jamaat-e-Islami Bans Women Candidates, Calls Them Unfit For Leadership

Bangladesh’s leading Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, has triggered widespread criticism after announcing a ban on women candidates ahead of the February 12 parliamentary elections. The move, justified by the party’s assertion that women are “unfit for leadership,” has been widely viewed as politically counterproductive and socially regressive in a country where women form a majority of registered voters.

Women outnumber men on Bangladesh’s electoral rolls, and the country’s political history has been shaped significantly by female leadership. From former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to her rival Khaleda Zia, women have long occupied the highest offices of the state, making Jamaat’s position sharply at odds with the lived political reality of Bangladesh.

Beyond electoral arithmetic, the ban clashes with Bangladesh’s dominant cultural tradition rooted in liberal, language-driven Bengali identity. This tradition has historically emphasized social reform and gender empowerment, drawing inspiration from figures such as Begum Rokeya, the pioneering advocate of women’s education and rights. These values have helped limit the influence of hardline Islamist ideology for decades.

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Observers note that Islamist radicalism has gained greater visibility following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the installation of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government. In this changed political climate, Jamaat’s decision appears to test the boundaries of public tolerance but risks alienating a broad section of society, particularly women voters.

Critics argue that the ban undermines democratic participation by excluding half the population from leadership roles based solely on gender. They warn that such positions not only erode Jamaat’s electoral prospects but also challenge the constitutional and social commitments to equality that Bangladesh has upheld since independence.

As the election approaches, Jamaat-e-Islami’s stance has sparked a broader debate about the future direction of Bangladeshi politics. Whether voters reward or reject this approach will serve as a critical indicator of how firmly the country’s liberal social foundations continue to hold in a rapidly evolving political landscape.

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