RAJSHAHI, Dec 19, 2019 (BSS) – Speakers at a participatory discussion meeting here today unequivocally called for ensuring fundamental rights especially the health, social and legal rights of the transgender people for uplifting their living standard.
They said the society, as a whole, should come forward with positive attitude toward the extreme socially excluded people for their coexistence in society.
Diner Alo Hijra Sangha (DAHS), a non-government development organization working for the welfare of the socially excluded people, hosted the meeting at its office to mark the 10th December World Human Rights Day in association with the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD).
Member of National Social Welfare Council Mozammel Haque and City Social Service Officer Md Asiquzzaman addressed the meeting as resource persons with DSHS President Mohona in the chair.
Editor of Daily Sonar Desh Akbarul Hassan Millat, Business Leader Sekendar Ali, local unit president of Bangladesh Mohila Parishad Kolpona Roy, General Secretary of Rajshahi Rakkha Sangram Parishad Jamat Khan and Columnist Shah Muhammad Ziauddin also spoke on the occasion.
Mohona also highlighted the activities of the organizations for elevating the living and livelihood condition of transgender people in the city.
She pointed out that the members of the community are always subjected to negligence and repression in every sphere of life including family and society. Hijra community is deprived of several rights, she added.
Representatives of various government and non-government health providing organisations attended the meeting. Asiquzzaman said the present government is very much positive towards solving the problems of the Hijra community. He urged the people to change their attitude towards the transgender people and demanded quota for them in education and job sectors.
He said general people have a very narrow mindset regarding genderless people and they should change their mentality.
Being rejected by families, many grew up hating their bodies, and fall victim to depression, drug addiction, violence and suicide, he added. Around 2.5 percent people of the total population were genderless, he said, adding that time has come to ensure their basic rights.