Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman has said that some of the recommendations submitted by the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission are in contradiction with Islamic law.
He made the remarks on Saturday, May 3, while delivering the inaugural speech at a conference of district and city ameers held at the Al-Falah Auditorium in Dhaka’s Moghbazar.
The Jamaat Ameer said: “Recently, the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission submitted a set of proposals to the Chief Adviser. Some of these recommendations are in direct conflict with Allah’s law. If those are accepted, it would amount to altering the Qur’an. But Allah has declared He revealed the Qur’an and He will protect it. Not a single letter or dot can be changed.”
Addressing the timeline for upcoming national elections, Dr Rahman noted that the Chief Adviser has indicated elections may be held between December 2025 and June 2026. “However, late February and much of March will coincide with Ramadan and Eid, making it an unsuitable period for elections,” he said. “We believe the ideal time is before Ramadan in February. But if judicial and electoral reforms do not gain public trust by then, elections must be held no later than April.”
Criticising the existing electoral structure, Dr Rahman demanded a shift to the Proportional Representation (PR) system. “Sixty-two countries have adopted PR. Most developed nations use it and none have turned away from it. Under the current system, we’ve seen individuals who can barely read become lawmakers. How can such individuals legislate or reform our legal system?”
He argued that a PR system would allow parties to secure parliamentary representation proportional to their share of the popular vote. “In such a framework, there are no ‘big’ or ‘small’ parties. Every political party has a fair chance to participate and contribute.”
The Jamaat leader stressed the importance of fair elections and meaningful reforms. “We are submitting our own recommendations to the relevant commissions. We urge all political parties to remember that politics is not for personal gain, but for serving the people and the country. Greater cooperation will lead to fairer elections and a stronger nation.”
Dr Rahman reiterated Jamaat’s earlier position: “Criminal trials must be transparent. We understand that not all trials can be completed quickly, but the public must see that justice is being pursued. The real offenders must be prosecuted, and the process should be visible to all.”
The conference was chaired by Jamaat Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar and attended by Assistant Secretary General Maulana ATM Masum, Dr Hamidur Rahman Azad, Maulana Abdul Halim, Maulana Md Shahjahan, Advocate Muazzam Hossain Helal, Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, as well as members of the party’s central executive and working committees, and district and metropolitan leaders.
