Anti-gay Bangladesh group seeks ban on LGBT rights activist
Activist attorney fears violence against himself and his family.
In Bangladesh, a conservative Islamic Facebook group called Caravan and a Facebook user named “Mon Dey” have called for Bangladeshi society to ban human rights activist and lawyer Shahanur Islam, alleging that he is implementing a Western agenda to legitimize homosexuality in the country.
The proposed ban would also apply to JusticeMakers Bangladesh, an organization founded by Shahanur Islam.
Caravan, established under the slogan “Look at the world through the eyes of Islam,” called for the ban on June 21.
In a write-up titled “Homosexuality on the way to legalization in Bangladesh?”, the Facebook user operating as “Mon Dey” called on imams, khatibs (preachers), speakers, online activists, Islamic organizations, writers, and ordinary Muslims for measures to ban Shahanur Islam in Bangladesh.
The online appeal (now taken offline) also called for legislation to prevent promotion of homosexuality in Bangladesh.
Shahanur Islam maintains that the campaign is much more than merely irritating online trolling.
In the past, such posts have incited riots in Bangladesh by exploiting religious sentiments, often through fake Facebook accounts, he said. Such attacks have included physical assaults and property destruction, including burning down homes.
“As of today, the call to ban me has already received 155 likes, with 49 aggressive comments, including threats to shoot me in the head. Additionally, the post has been shared 135 times across various groups and profiles,” Shahanur said. “Every day, they continue to update their campaign with hate speech and threatening messages. I am deeply concerned that they may carry out an attack on my home, endangering the lives of my family, including my wife and child. It is crucial to urge the government to ensure the security and protection of my family.”
Homophobic and transphobic violence is a familiar problem in Bangladesh. In 2016, gay rights activists Xulhaz Mannan and Tonoy Mojumdar were murdered by Islamic extremists. Shahanur Islam himself has been repeatedly threatened with violence for his activism.
Last October, the president of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) wrote to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Oct. 19, seeking protection for him.
In the letter, the CCBE “respectfully urges Your Excellency to do everything in your power to urgently provide adequate protection to lawyer Shahanur Islam and his family, since it is believed that this continuous acts of threats and harassment are based on his legitimate activities as a human rights lawyer.”
He said about the Caravan post: “This is not an isolated incident.”
Islam said he has contacted several officials for help, including the France ambassador to Bangladesh, the human rights ambassador of France, and the LGBT right ambassador of France. Additionally, CCBE is in the process of drafting another letter to the Prime Minister, he said.
The Facebook appeal came after JusticeMakers Bangladesh launched an online petition in April calling on the president, prime minister and other officials of Bangladesh to decriminalize homosexuality by repealing Article 377 of the Bangladesh Penal Code. Under the Bangladesh constitution, the president has power to make such changes when Parliament is not in session, but the changes would need approval from Parliament when it meets again. So far, 277 people have signed the petition.
