Mainstreaming Transgender People In Society
Transgenders are lastly recognised as a third gender by the government in a few years ago. Some of them have already been involved in some creative activities of the society through NGO and other philanthropist organization. As such a transgender anchor has recently been appeared in the media and similarly a group of volunteers serving patients at DMCH of whom 10 are from the transgender community. Whereas many health workers are refrained of touching from seriously infected COVID-19 patients, then the transgender volunteers are come forward wholeheartedly to help the patients. It is a piece of good news and positive sign of the third gender and really praiseworthy efforts to them. The group has been working under the platform “Brihonnola”, a collective that works towards transgender acceptance in Bangladesh.
But most of the third genders are scattering across the country and they are mostly involved in extortion activities in shops, government offices, markets, clubs, banks, insurances, buses, footpath and many other places. They have done this toll collection forcely because they are neglected in various ways in the society. Even their families don’t accept them positively. They said that they are bound to create such an untoward situation for their own survival.
Government is implementing many projects under society safety program and these third genders can be included effectively in creative technical works through local administration and ministry of social welfare. They informed while talking with them that government has some initiative for them but these are so insignificant that can’t be done anything fruitfully by the government initiative.
We humbly urged the government to take some effective social welfare program for them and in the same way the others benevolent persons come forward to help the transgenders in a creative ways.
Md. Zillur Rahaman
Gandaria, Dhaka
