Press Release
Dhaka, 3 November 2026: Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) considers the statement made to the media by the Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami regarding its recently published research report titled Institutional Governance of Political Parties in Bangladesh to be misleading and a misrepresentation of the facts. At the same time, TIB describes the formation of separate committees for women as a nominal compliance with the RPO 1972, and portraying these committees as evidence of women’s inclusion at all levels of the party as mere window dressing. TIB has expressed surprise at the party’s denial of the research findings and its characterisation of the information as “untrue”, despite the facts presented in the report. At the same time, TIB appreciates Jamaat-e-Islami’s decision to review the research report seriously.
TIB’s research states that, under Article 90B, Clause (1), Sub-clause (b), Item (ii) of the RPO, 1972, the constitutions of all political parties must set a target of reserving at least 33 per cent of membership positions for women in committees at all levels and achieving this target in phases by 2030. However, an analysis of women’s representation in the central committees of political parties reveals significant shortcomings in complying with this legal provision. In this context, the term ‘central committee’ refers to the central or national executive committee, central executive council, or central working committee. Information on equivalent committees was collected for all parties. According to information published on the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami website, its 19-member Central Executive Council for the 2023–25 period has no female members. This constitutes a clear violation of the relevant provision of the RPO, which requires women to be included in every committee of a political party.
Jamaat-e-Islami’s statement also claims that its Central Working Committee has 21 female members and its Central Majlis-e-Shura has 122 female members. In addition, it claims that women account for approximately 43 per cent of its Rukon (members). However, the research specifically examines women’s inclusion in central committees, namely central or national executive councils or committees. It does not address the number of women in a party’s national or central council, conference or Majlis-e-Shura. The RPO, 1972, does not prescribe how many women a party must have as members. Rather, it emphasises the inclusion of women from among the party’s female activists in its committees. Therefore, citing such irrelevant examples by the Secretary General is nothing but a misrepresentation of the facts.
In all other political parties in Bangladesh, a single committee exists at each organisational level, with women included in those committees at varying rates. However, Jamaat-e-Islami’s constitution provides for separate committees for women at every level to conduct organisational activities exclusively among female members. In other words, at each level, there is one committee for men and a separate committee for women. Similarly, the party has separate Majlis-e-Shura and Working Committees for women. However, it has neither a separate central executive council for women nor any female members in its central executive council. The party’s practice of excluding women from key leadership positions, including Ameer-e-Jamaat, Naib-e-Ameer, Secretary General and Assistant Secretary General, is also evident. Establishing separate committees for women to conduct political activities exclusively among female members does not constitute their meaningful inclusion in the party’s activities. Rather, this confines women to a restricted sphere. Claiming these separate committees as evidence of women’s inclusion in the party is a form of window dressing.
The research also points out that Jamaat-e-Islami did not nominate any female candidate for any constituency in the 13th National Parliamentary Election. Despite the party’s claim that women constitute 43 per cent of its membership, not a single woman was nominated from among them to contest the election. Jamaat-e-Islami, however, made no comment on this issue in its statement.
Furthermore, various provisions of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s constitution are in conflict with different articles of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. These include provisions concerning the formation of society based on the fundamental beliefs and spirit of Islam; the rejection of sovereignty being vested in anyone other than Allah; the rejection of all rules, regulations and practices in social, economic and political spheres that are not based on divine commandments; the avoidance of association with institutions considered contrary to Islamic beliefs; granting associate or full membership to non-Muslim citizens subject to their agreement with the party’s political and economic programmes; imposing separate conditions on Muslim and non-Muslim citizens for obtaining full or associate membership; and maintaining separate departments or committees and activities for female members. These provisions are inconsistent with constitutional principles, including the people’s ownership of all state power and the fundamental principles of state governance, particularly secularism, religious freedom and non-discrimination on grounds of religion, gender and other factors.
Therefore, there is no basis for Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami to describe TIB’s research findings on women’s inclusion in its central committee as “untrue” or “misleading”. Rather, TIB believes that, through its statement, Jamaat-e-Islami is attempting to deny the research findings and obscure the party’s actual political practices by presenting irrelevant information. TIB calls on Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, along with all other political parties, to give due consideration to the findings of the published research report and undertake institutional reforms within their respective parties in line with the recommendations put forward in the report.
It may be noted that TIB conducts all its research using internationally recognised methodologies followed in social science research. To ensure the reliability and validity of research data, information collected initially is cross-checked against data obtained from various direct and indirect sources. Research reports are prepared after verifying the information through cross-checking at different levels and stages and examining all possible sources. Similarly, for the research in question, interviews were conducted with officials and designated representatives of political parties at the central level, party leaders and activists, Election Commission officials, political analysts, teachers and researchers. Information was also collected and verified from political parties’ websites, documents obtained from party offices, media reports, research articles and books.
Media Contact:
Mohammad Tauhidul Islam
Director, Outreach and Communication
Phone: +8801713107868
Email: tauhidul@ti-bangladesh.org
