LGBTQI+ people face increasing violence in Bangladesh
Violence against Bangladesh’s LGBTQI+ community has escalated after new interim government appointed
Anti-LGBTQI+ violence is rising in Bangladesh as conservative Islamists gain power, according to human rights organization Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF).
After the fall of the Awami League government in early August and under the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus, Islamist fundamentalist groups have intensified their violent and inhumane acts against sexual minorities, JBMF says.
JMBF has learned of a series of disturbing incidents, including an attack on the hijra community in Chak-Andharia in the Sherpur Sadar province on September 4. Armed assailants vandalized homes, looted belongings, and physically assaulted hijra community members, causing them to flee in fear for their lives.
“Hijra” is a term used in many South Asian countries for third gender or transgender people. [See the article “Bangladesh: How are hijras and the LGBTQ+ community different?”]
Last month, in the Bangibacha area of Dinajpur, another hijra village near the Punorvoba River was similarly attacked, resulting in the destruction of homes and looting of essential goods and construction materials.
On September 13th, two transgender women visiting Cox’s Bazar Beach in western Bangladesh were subjected to physical assault, sexual harassment, and public humiliation by members of an Islamist fundamentalist group. The perpetrators recorded the assault and circulated the video on social media, further exacerbating the victims’ emotional trauma.
Another serious incident involved an intersex student at Shanto-Mariam University in the capital Dhaka. On August 12, local authorities forcibly shut down her only means of livelihood, a food van, which was crucial for funding her education and supporting her family. When she attempted to reopen her business, she was threatened with false accusations of illegal weapon possession, endangering her future.
Robert Simon, a French LGBTQI+ Rights Activist and Chief Adviser of JMBF says these attacks present a clear danger to LGBTQI+ Bangladeshis.
“These repeated acts of violence and persecution against LGBTQI+ individuals by Islamist fundamentalist groups represent a flagrant violation of human rights and undermine the safety and dignity of sexual minorities in Bangladesh. We unequivocally condemn these incidents and urge the Bangladeshi government, particularly Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, to take immediate action to protect the lives and rights of LGBTQI+ members,” Simon says.
Shahanur Islam, founder and president of JMBF, says the government must act to stop these attacks on LGBTQI people.
“These incidents are not isolated but part of widespread human rights violations under the current interim government led by Dr. Yunus. Beyond targeting LGBTQI+ individuals, supporters of the Bangladesh Awami League have faced torture, extrajudicial killings, looting, and arson attacks. These gross violations must end, as the current government came to power with a promise to uphold the human rights of all citizens, regardless of race, sex, gender, or political opinion.”
JBMF’s longstanding demands on the government include swift and impartial investigations into crimes against LGBTQI people, transparent and efficient justice against perpetrators of violence and harassment, support for victims, security for community members, and legal recognition of LGBTQI peoples’ human rights. In particular, JBMF has called on the government to repeal laws that criminalize homosexuality.
