Bangladesh: Trans woman elected to government council
Payal Khatun, a trans woman, has been elected to the local government council in Kustia in west-central Bangladesh, the first trans person to hold that position.
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The human rights organization JusticeMakers Bangladesh congratulated Payal Khatun on her achievement. Below are edited excerpts of their announcement:
JusticeMakers Bangladesh congrats the sexual minority transgender woman for being elected as a member of union council in Kushtia!
According to the news published by Voice of America’s Bengali section online on Nov. 4, Payal Khatun is the first elected public representative of the third gender in Kushtia district.
Payal was elected as UP Member by getting 1,623 votes. Payall was born a son of Liaquat Ali of Belgharia village in Kanchanpur Union and was given the name Helal.
According to local residents, Payal traveled to Kolkata around 2010-11 and changed her gender.
Payal’s leadership qualities have been around for a long time. She always stood up for people in danger, which made her incredibly popular in the area.
When asked about her reaction to winning the election, Payal Khatun said, “Besides trying my best to develop the area, I will try my best to improve the quality of life of women who are backward in the society.”
Anichur Rahman, the newly elected chairman of Kanchanpur Union Parishad, said, “Undoubtedly her victory is a positive event. Since she has been elected as a public representative, she will always be supported by me as council chairman.”
Attorney and gay rights activist Shahanur Islam, founder of JusticeMakers Bangladesh, expressed his heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for Payal Khatun. Her election as a member of the union council as a sexual minority is an encouraging, positive development for the backward sections of the society, he said.
It is a victory against the discrimination, neglect, torture and exclusion from family and the mainstream of society that transgender people experience in Bangladesh, he said.
Shahnur Islam also noted other recent achievements by trans people in Bangladesh, including the election last January of Nazrul Islam, a transgender woman, as the chairman of Trilochanpur Union of Kaliganj in Jhenaidah district.
If they are allowed to compete on a level playing field, transgender women can lead and can play an important role in the development of Bangladesh, he said.
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