Head of Jamaat-e-Islami’s central publicity department Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair has alleged that female workers of the party are being attacked and humiliated in various areas of the country, including in the Dhaka-15 constituency.
He raised these allegations to journalists on Monday afternoon after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin.
Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair said, “When female workers are going to the field to conduct electoral work, they are being attacked and humiliated in various places across the country. In some places, they are being asked to remove their veils. Mobile phones are being snatched from many. We have expressed these concerns to the Election Commission.”
He further said, “Nearly half of the total voters in the country are women. Naturally, female voters feel more comfortable speaking with female workers. It is a positive aspect of the election that women are becoming active in politics and playing a role in electoral organisation.”
“But regrettably,” he added. “A party’s female workers are subjected to such treatment from one side, which has generated concern. He also said that the Election Commission has been requested to take necessary steps in this regard. At the same time, he alleged that even though complaints have been made at the local level, no effective role of law enforcement agencies is being seen.”
Zubair further said, “When MPO-listed teachers are going out for electoral work, local responsible persons, and in some cases magistrates, are obstructing their work. Some have been fined on the grounds that they cannot engage in electoral work. However, he raised the question: if an MPO-listed teacher can be a candidate in the election, then why can’t they be a polling agent?”
He said, “When the matter was brought to the notice of the Election Commission, they expressed surprise and said they would take action on the matter. An explanation was given from the Commission’s side that the concerned officials are having difficulty understanding the legal interpretation. But he also commented that no one wants a teacher’s dignity to be undermined due to the complexity of legal interpretation.”
Regarding the allegation that female workers are collecting national identity cards from voters on the party’s instructions, Zubair said they do not have any such information, and no such instructions have been given from the party.
“Currently extraordinary support for Jamaat-e-Islami is being seen from women. There is significant support from women, and especially young male and female students, starting from villages across the country. Their assumption is that a major party is behaving this way precisely because of this support.”
In response to a question about why Jamaat-e-Islami did not field any female candidates, he said their party has 40 percent female workers, which other parties do not.
“In the party’s culture, there is no opportunity to become a candidate on one’s own initiative; candidates are determined based on proposals coming from the field level. Men have to accept the party’s decision.”
He stated that in the case of women, the matter is left to their own decision and the overall practical situation. He also added that are plans to field female candidates in the future.
