Several 'broom march' held protesting Jamaat chief's 'insult to working women'

Several protest rallies, including symbolic "broom marches," were held in different parts of the capital and at public universities today (1 February), condemning alleged remarks by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman that protesters described as "insulting to working women".

In the afternoon, a protest rally took place at the base of the Raju Sculpture near the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) of Dhaka University.

At the same time, a group of working women brought out a broom procession in the Kafrul area of Mirpur. Similar protests were also held at Jahangirnagar University in the evening.

A protest rally and a symbolic “broom march” were held at the base of the Raju Sculpture near the TSC area of Dhaka University, condemning the Jamaat chief's remarks, described as insulting to working women. Photo: Rajib Dhar

Addressing the gathering at Dhaka University, Socialist Students' Front President Mukta Barai said, "Using women against the country's progress is not new for a political party; this has long been their policy. History and recent events prove this."

She further said that working women must be shown due respect, that those responsible for such derogatory remarks should offer a public apology, and that women would continue their march forward despite attempts to undermine them.

Former vice-president of the Dhaka University Shamsunnahar Hall Students' Union, Sheikh Tasnim Afroze Emi, said that some political parties are attempting to gain power by humiliating women.

"Since independence, they have failed to perform any responsibility successfully except hypocrisy," she said.

She further alleged that their organisational structure functions in ways that undermine the state, adding that they have learned nothing from the past and have instead become "more degenerate and fascist over time".

The protest in Mirpur's Kafrul area took place in the Baishteki area shortly before the start of Jamaat's election campaign there. To prevent any untoward incidents, law enforcement agencies erected barricades between the protesters and Jamaat supporters.

At Jahangirnagar University, students organised a broom march from the central Shaheed Minar, marching through various halls and campus roads before ending at Bot Tola. Student activists from Bangladesh Chhatra Union, Socialist Students' Front, Jatiya Chhatra Shakti and Jatiyotabadi Chhatra Dal joined the procession.

Meanwhile, writer and researcher Mahtab Uddin said Jamaat-e-Islami has repeatedly misled its supporters through falsehoods and staged dramas.

"The claim that their ameer's X account was hacked has failed to produce any evidence. If an account were hacked, the first step would be changing the password. Instead, they themselves changed it, this alone proves that the incident was a staged drama," he said.

He added that Jamaat's derogatory attitude towards women has long been embedded in its ideology.

A protest rally and a symbolic “broom march” were held at the base of the Raju Sculpture near the TSC area of Dhaka University, condemning the Jamaat chief's remarks, described as insulting to working women. Photo: Rajib Dhar

"This mindset of undermining the dignity of working women is actively practised at the grassroots level of the organisation," he said.

Calling for accountability, Mahtab urged the Election Commission to conduct a proper investigation into the matter.

"If Jamaat fails to provide evidence, its ameer must offer a public apology," he added.

The protest followed the circulation of a screenshot of a post from Shafiqur Rahman's verified X account that began spreading on social media last night. The post has since been deleted, with Jamaat claiming the account had been hacked.

The now-deleted post read, "On the question of women, Jamaat's position is neither confused nor apologetic – it is principled. We do not think women should come in leadership. In Jamaat, it is impossible. Allah did not permit this."

It further stated, "We believe that when women are pushed out of the home in the name of modernity, they are exposed to exploitation, moral decay, and insecurity. It's nothing but another form of prostitution. Social media vulgarity, workplace harassment, and commodification of women are not signs of progress – they are symptoms of moral collapse.

"We refuse to compromise with immorality, no matter how fashionable it becomes."

The screenshot of the now-deleted post triggered widespread criticism from various quarters, including political parties and rights activists.