Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 08:14am on 11 Feb 2026,Wednesday International
Concerns are rising in Bangladesh’s 2026 general election as the once-banned Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami gains momentum ahead of Thursday’s vote, potentially reshaping the country’s political future and women’s rights. Critics warn that Jamaat’s leadership, including Shafiqur Rahman, openly opposes female political leadership, has suggested limiting women’s working hours, and the party has not fielded a single woman candidate, despite promises of cabinet roles, sparking alarms about a rollback of freedoms. Many women who played key roles in the 2024 uprising feel disenfranchised, and grassroots activists fear the election could threaten gains in gender equality even as younger voters support the party’s anti-corruption rhetoric. (PC: The Guardian)
