Chittagong University Students Protest Against Jamaat Post

A large-scale protest march and demonstration were held at Chittagong University on Sunday evening in response to controversial remarks about working women attributed to Shafiqur Rahman, the Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami, on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

The protest began at Golchattar at 7:00 pm and proceeded through the campus, culminating at the Shahid Minar, where students assembled for speeches and statements condemning the online post. Organisers described the comments as deeply offensive and a violation of women’s dignity.

Shruti Raj Chowdhury, the Student League’s women affairs secretary and a third-year Sports Science student, said, “After 5 August, we envisioned a society free from discrimination. Today, that dream is under threat. Jamaat, under the guise of religion, is undermining women’s honour. Their true face must be exposed to the public.”

Nusrat Jahan, a third-year English student, added, “In a democratic country, working mothers and sisters sustain our economy. Mocking them is entirely reprehensible. Islam teaches the highest respect for women, yet Jamaat’s post violates that principle.”

Sumaiya Shikdar, a fourth-year Marketing student and organiser of ‘Nari Angan’ (Women’s Forum), emphasised that although Jamaat claims the Amir’s account was hacked, the post reflects traditional misogynistic attitudes rather than being a unique incident. “The state must take strict action against such attacks on women,” she said.

The protest saw the participation of over 50 students, including Tasfia Tabassum, health secretary of Fazunnesa Hall Students’ Council, and Jannatul Ferdous, along with other members of Nari Angan. Slogans such as “No place for women abusers in our Golden Bengal” and “Break the fangs of clerical rule” echoed across the campus.

In response to the social media backlash, a general diary (GD) was lodged at a local police station on Saturday night. Jamaat-e-Islami maintains that the post was the result of a hacked account and does not represent the party’s official stance or opinion.

The demonstration at Chittagong University highlights growing student activism in defence of women’s rights and serves as a warning against misogyny being propagated under the guise of religious authority.