JOINT STATEMENT: BIHR and JusticeMakers Bangladesh gravely concern over the recent killing of homosexual man at Sylhet City.

 Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) and JusticeMakers are gravely concern over the killing of homosexual transgender man at Sylhet city in Bangladesh.

 

BIHR and JusticeMakers Bangladesh urge the concern authority of Bangladesh to arrest all the culprits who were involved with the said brutal murder of homosexual transgender man and bring the culprits before the book after quick and impartial investigation.  

 

According to the online news media Ajker Patrika, published on 25 September 2022, an young homosexual transgender man was called and killed in Sylhet.

 

The police recovered the dead body from an open place adjacent to the city’s Subhanighat vegetable market early morning on Sunday 25th September 2022.

 

Deceased Tushar Mia (20), son of Abul Hasem of Mymensing district used to live on rent in Saju Mia’s house in the Sylhet city.

 

Mr.Jagotjoti, In charge of Subhanighat Police Outpost under Kotwali Police Station of Sylhet Metropolitan Police confirmed that information. He told the newspaper that there were nose marks on the neck of the body and it is believed that miscreants killed him and left the body behind.

 

Kotwali Police Station Officer in Charge (OC), Mohammad Ali said, "Tushar used to disguise himself as a transgender. He used to walk with hijras. In the early morning there were 3  to 4 other people including him. It is believed that he was killed by hanging a rope around his neck. Evidence of a scuffle was also found. We were trying to arrest those involved’.

 

Tushar’s elder brother Himel Ahmed Rafi said that after post mortem, they have brought Tushar’s body to Manikpur hill in the city for burial. After the burial, they will file a murder case.

 

He also said that Tushar’s studied did not get in progress after primary. Despite various efforts from the family, Tushar could not be admitted to secondary school, gradually he associated with transgender group.

 

One point, Tushar started dressing up like transgender and leaving the house with transgender's friends. His friends called him from the house at around 9:30 pm on Saturday 24th September 2022 and Tushar's dead body was found at Sobhanighat in the city around 9 am on Sunday 25th September 2022, he added.

 

BIHR and JusticeMakers Bangladesh’s Secretary General and LGBT rights campaigner Advocate Shahanur Islam condemns the murder and asks the police authority to find out the Tusher’s killer immediately.

 

Advocate Shahnur Islam believes that the incident of said murder is not an isolated incident in Bangladesh; rather violation and discrimination against LGBT people including transgender people are widespread all around the country.  

 

Advocate Shahanur also think that though the government of Bangladesh has recognized transgender as third gender and has took some initiative to socially rehabilitated, but those are not sufficient.

 

Furthermore, Advocate Shahanur thinks that from home to society and society to state, in everywhere, the LGBT community people including transgender's are facing discrimination and others form of human rights violation. Most of those incidents of violations are remained behind due to social unacceptance and intolerance.

 

Finally, Advocated Shahanur Islam demands to repeal the discriminatory section 377 of Bangladesh Penal Code.