Pritilata Brigade has issued a strong condemnation and protest against Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman for his comments regarding working women, demanding an immediate public apology.
The controversy arose following a post on Shafiqur Rahman’s X (formerly Twitter) handle on Saturday, which compared women working outside their homes to “prostitution”. Although Jamaat-e-Islami later clarified in a press conference that the Ameer’s account had been hacked, the Pritilata Brigade asserted that the post has already exerted a negative social impact.
In a statement, Sadia Imroz Ila, the coordinator of the Pritilata Brigade, described the remarks as highly objectionable and defamatory. She argued that such comments are not isolated incidents but rather a reflection of Jamaat-e-Islami’s collective attitude as a political party.
The statement also recalled a recent instance where another Jamaat leader made adverse remarks concerning Dhaka University.
Highlighting the socio-economic contribution of women, Ila noted that women make up half of the country’s population and are instrumental in keeping the wheels of the economy turning.
She emphasised that millions of women are employed across various sectors, including the garments industry, and warned that the Ameer’s comments could create an environment for the future harassment of working women.
Brigade further alleged that these remarks are the result of a long-held ideology shared by Jamaat and the Pakistani occupation forces, who together were responsible for violating the honour of over two lakh women during the Great Liberation War.
The statement concluded by calling for the Jamaat Ameer to apologise publicly for his comments and urged the public to boycott the “vile politics” of Jamaat-e-Islami.
