Social and Cultural Realities for Muslim women leadership in Bangladesh

When two word “Female”  and “Leadership” sit beside one another then it create a surprise and a question that what a excellence she was?  women’s participation is increasing highly most of the sectors in modern days but not only perfect for politics. It is interesting to attached that most of the women in Bangladesh are not interested in involving today’s politics. They take this politics as a risk for violence. Jamaat –e- Islam, a Islamic ideological political parties spread this view by their party member that “ Come to the way of Allah,  he is almighty”  and learnt about namaj, roja, dojog,Quran, Hadis. Most of the time they spread it by the family.  One family member spread this to her relatives and neighbors. Whereas their ideology is Islam based so most of the middle or lower class Muslim families or woman follow this ideology. After passing some days the spreader accumulate her learners into the meeting . Party donation often increase his political members. Britte,upo-Britti, education vata for women ,Islamic convocation create cupidity for economic help and profit of religion to the middle and low class of people in Bangladesh.
The word “Female” carries a soft corner among men that grasp weakness. Comparatively between past and present picture of society, in where there is fixed area only household for female but now they are coming in employment, Economics beside politics too. In the perspective of Bangladesh politics some political parties like Bangladesh Awami League, Bangladesh Nationalist party we can see some number of nominate female representatives in the parliament. Although Jamaat members have publicly supported the increased presence of women in parliament but the party still refuses to nominate women candidates for direct election to parliament.[Elora,Shehabuddin]

The Social and Cultural realities for female participation between Jammat and other political parties is totally different. Because of a Islamic religious political party, the party members obviously will be Islamic religious minded. But in nowadays a well known family background works as a relative safeguard against sexual harassment. If a woman is imprisoned and beaten up by the police she could count these as political “Scarifies” to promote her political career but if a woman political activist is raped in the process of courting imprisonment she can not use this fact as an asset. This is the most problem for rising up female participation in Jamaat’s politics.

                                                                        Bangladesh Muslim society is taking western cultures like dress, food, festive and life style. Women are taking precautions in their public appearance so as not to offend the religious or cultural sentiments of the majority Muslim mass. Most of the female in this modern time dislike purdah and think it creates a boundary. It is also interesting that that the women leaders in Bangladesh are now actively protesting against the effects of resurgent Islamic fundamentalism on women’s status.

The modern society see a female political members in a negative eye. It claims a bad character to a good character female. One person know goodly about a female but when he know about her politics he change his decision. Politics will become a bad claim in marriage.

-Methun Dey

University Of Barishal