Jamaat’s pledge to cut mothers’ work hours sparks intense debate online

Many are seeing this as a facade for their intentions to confine women to their homes

A pledge by Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman to reduce working hours for working mothers from eight to five hours if elected to power is igniting widespread criticism on social media.

Many are questioning the intent behind the promise, with some fearing it could mark the first step towards gradually confining women to their homes.

Others are wondering whether reducing women’s hours will be fair to men.

Meanwhile, working women are urging Jamaat to focus on transport safety, workplace conditions, and childcare facilities instead of working hours.

Some, however, view the proposal as a “noble idea”, insisting that shorter work hours for mothers are “the demand of the time”.

Addressing a reception organised in New York City by the Coalition of Bangladeshi American Association, Shafiqur said Jamaat intends to grant mothers “a little more dignity”, describing the move as “justice” rather than a favour.

He portrayed mothers as bearing a double burden, nurturing children while fulfilling professional duties: “My mother, she carries a child in her womb, breastfeeds, makes her chest the baby's bed, and raises that child. I work eight hours, she works eight hours too. Is that not injustice towards her?”

He said, “If we make it five instead of eight, mothers are so sincere and committed that they will try to complete eight hours’ work in five.”

Writer and activist Faham Abdus Salam responded with a lengthy Facebook post, asking whether salaries would also be reduced proportionately, and whether women would consider the salary reduction as “true justice”.

He warned that if pay remains the same, men may see the arrangement as unfair.

He suggested the proposal could have a disastrous impact on women’s employment, saying: “HR will simply decide not to hire women”, calling it the “most successful policy to keep women out of the workforce”.

He added that if this idea is implemented, working women will be pushed back to the kitchen in 10 years.

Criticising the Jamaat, he called this plan a “boy-scout level joke”, requesting the party to never speak of such “unimplementable and childish self-sabotaging plans” in public to avoid future embarrassment.

Former NCP leader Neela Israfil also questioned the motive behind Jamaat’s promise.

She argued that women do not need sympathy, but equality, as guaranteed by the Constitution.

Categorising women differently in the workplace creates discrimination and undermines economic independence, she said.

“If one truly wants to make women’s lives easier, then instead of five-hour offices, ensure 24-hour safety on the streets, within the family, and in workplaces,” she wrote.

Political analyst Zahed Ur Rahman has posted a vlog calling the pledge “ridiculous”. He believes the strategy may be aimed at putting BNP under political pressure.

He said Jamaat will bring absurd promises to the field, promises no one can implement, forcing BNP into a corner.