Bangladesh third-gender person suffers arson attack
Activists call on government to act swiftly to protect queer Bangladeshis
The LGBTQ rights advocacy group JusticeMakers Bangladesh (JMBF) issued a statement about the arson attack on a hijra in Bangladesh. This article is based on JMBF’s account.
JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses strong condemnation over the arson and looting carried out by extremists on June 20 at the residence of a hijra — a South Asian term for a third-gender person — in Kali Kachh Union in Sarail Upazila in eastern Bangladesh.
According to JMBF’s reliable sources and various news reports from Bangladesh, on Friday, June 20, extremist locals set fire to and looted the residence of Sohel Asha. Sohel and his family have lived in a house built on land beside the Sarail-Nasirnagar-Lakhai regional highway, near Kali Kachh crematorium for 20 years.
“This attack on the residence of hijra Sohel Asha is not an isolated incident—it reflects a tragic social trend. When religious fundamentalism and anti-diversity hatred combine with state negligence, such violence becomes possible. The Bangladeshi authorities must promptly conduct an impartial and effective investigation, bring the perpetrators to justice, and ensure full rehabilitation of the victims. Otherwise, it will open the door to further violence and persecution in the future,” says Robert Simon, chief advisor of JMBF.
“The Constitution of Bangladesh guarantees equal rights to all citizens, but in reality, the hijra community continuously faces discrimination and violence. This brutal attack on Sohel Asha is not only a personal loss but an assault on the safety and dignity of the entire gender-diverse community. We urge the government of Bangladesh to swiftly arrest all involved perpetrators, ensure strict punishment, and provide security and compensation to the affected family,” says Shahanur Islam, a Bangladeshi human rights lawyer and founding president of JMBF.
JMBF is calling for exemplary punishment for all responsible criminals and for the state to ensure that no criminal is protected due to religious extremism, social influence, or political affiliation.
JMBF is also urging the immediate provision of safe shelter, essential food, medical care, and basic assistance to Sohel Asha and his family, financial compensation and rehabilitation for rebuilding the damaged home, and permanent security measures to ensure their future safety.
JMBF has long demanded the enactment of a law for the protection of the rights of the LGBTQI+ community, and separate allocations and integrated social rights programs in fundamental services such as education, health, employment, and housing.
“Above all, JMBF calls on the state to take effective measures to prevent religious extremism, extremist propaganda, and hateful ideologies. It urges law enforcement agencies to become more active in curbing violence incited in the name of religion, spreading rumors, and promoting hatred against minorities. JMBF also calls for increased social awareness by involving educational institutions, media, and religious leaders to promote tolerance, coexistence, and humanitarian values,” JMBF says in a statement.
“If these demands are not implemented, not only Sohel Asha but the entire gender-diverse community will face increased vulnerability, uncertainty, oppression, and threats. The time has come for the state and society to stand firmly against hatred and persecution, and uphold justice, humanity, and equality.”
