Bangladesh Jamaat Chief Deletes Post Comparing Working Women To ‘Prostitutes’ After Backlash

Last Updated:February 01, 2026, 20:57 IST

The now-deleted post stated that pushing women into public life in the name of modernity led to exploitation and moral degradation, calling it “another form of prostitution”.

Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami leader Shafiqur Rahman addresses his supporters during a rally. (AFP photo)

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman on Sunday deleted a controversial social media post after it sparked widespread criticism and outrage in the country.

The post, shared from Rahman’s verified X account on Saturday, claimed that when women are pushed out of the home in the name of modernity, they face exploitation, moral degradation and insecurity, describing this as “another form of prostitution".

Screenshots of the post quickly circulated online before it was taken down. The remarks drew sharp criticism for portraying women’s participation in public life as morally harmful and opposing women in leadership roles.

Rahman Issues Clarification

Responding to the backlash on Sunday, Rahman said the viral post was “false and misleading" and did not reflect his views or those of his party. In a statement shared on X, he said the content was being circulated to misrepresent Jamaat-e-Islami’s position.

“Our manifesto has been clear from day one. We want women active and respected in education, healthcare, administration, entrepreneurship and public service," Rahman wrote.

He added that the party supports uninterrupted education for “girls, safe campuses, zero tolerance for harassment, women-centred healthcare, equal pay, safe workplaces, childcare support and skills for dignified work."

Rahman said these positions were not new and had been outlined months ago, including at a policy summit held on January 20. “Judge me by my record and manifesto, not false narratives. On 3 February, I will launch the full manifesto. A Bangladesh that respects women is a Bangladesh that moves forward," he noted.

Jamaat Claims Account Was Hacked

Following the backlash, Jamaat-e-Islami said Rahman’s X account had been hacked. In an official statement, the party’s Assistant Secretary General and head of its publicity and media department, Advocate Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, claimed that cyber attackers had briefly taken control of the account.

He said the post did not reflect Rahman’s views or the party’s position and described it as completely false and misleading. Zubair said the party’s cyber team regained control of the account within a short time and secured other platforms.

The party warned that spreading false information, identity forgery and sharing distorted content were punishable by law, urging the public and media to verify information only from official sources.

“Spreading false information, committing identity forgery, and creating and disseminating distorted content are punishable by law and morally reprehensible. Such activities harm the democratic environment," the party added.

News world Bangladesh Jamaat Chief Deletes Post Comparing Working Women To ‘Prostitutes’ After Backlash

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