Dhaka, Feb 4 (PTI): Bangladesh’s main Islamic party Jamaat-e-Islami on Wednesday announced a 41-point manifesto ahead of planned February 12 elections, pledging inclusion of women in the cabinet alongside reforms in the justice and economic sectors.
Jamaat’s chief Shafiqur Rahman announced the manifesto, which pledged to include a “significant number of women in the cabinet” if the party was voted to power, though it did not field any female candidates.
“The cabinet will reflect the diversity of the nation by ensuring representation of religious and ethnic communities and other historically under-represented sections of society,” the manifesto read.
It also promised a safe working environment for women while upholding their dignity.
It pledged that working hours for women during maternity would be reduced to five per day with the mother’s consent.
The Jamaat chief’s pledge came days after a screenshot of a post involving women was circulated from his verified X account on social media, but it was deleted immediately with the party claiming the account had been hacked.
The party pledged to transform Bangladesh into a USD 2 trillion economy by 2040 and raise per capita income to USD 10,000.
As of early 2026, the volume of the Bangladesh economy is approximately USD 475 billion in nominal terms, but if the Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) is estimated, the total volume is estimated at USD 1.78 trillion.
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics of early 2026, the per capita income in the country in 2026 is approximately USD 2,820.
Former prime minister late Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), now led by her son Tarique Rahman since her death in December, emerged as the forerunner in the changed political landscape after a violent uprising toppled then prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League.
BNP’s once ally, Jamaat-e-Islami, appeared as its main rival in the absence of Awami League, which was disbanded by Muhammad Yunus’ interim government.
BNP is yet to announce its manifesto for the election, which is expected to end the unscheduled tenure of Yunus’ government. PTI AR RD RD RD
(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)