People of Bangladesh are known to be very religious and compulsive Muslims. They believe the Muslim god Allah creates everything in nature, with the best lifestyle defined in the Quran. Once what is taught in childhood, it must remain forever and to never be questioned.
People who raise questions such as ‘how come the 50-year-old prophet married and had sex with a 9-year-old?’ are called feminists, atheists and disliked by society, whereas 90% of the people are Muslim’s. The only form of official sexuality they recognise is straight. The only official genders they validate are male and female.
It is natural to have sexual needs at the age of emerging. However, in Bangladesh, men and women are tied with the hard shackle of cultural and religious values. The question is, how do they fulfil their natural desires before they are legally married? In reality, it is totally acceptable for a man to hold another man’s hand, hugging each other, going out together, eating or even sleeping in the same bed together, yet it is completely unacceptable if they fall in love with each other; which, isn’t any different for women.
Islam: The elders, all who are the school teachers, home tutors, Quran tutors, uncle and aunts or people who are born a minute before you, are entitled to be your guru whether or not they are competent in what they might be teaching you. In addition, lessons taught by them are not to be questioned! They teach you about god and how to live your life. According to Islam, following these rules to praise Allah and living your life according to Prophet Mohammad, will secure you a place in the heaven afterlife with a reward of 73 whores. It is your holy duty to keep everything out of the way, if necessary take part in jihad, as this is part of the Muslim rule establishment. Since this is the only reason why we are chosen by god and sent to this world.
Women: In Bangladesh, men set rules for women, pre-determining their ideal activity. Commonly, a woman who wears a veil, no makeup and not seen by anyone outside the house, is a role model of a good Muslim female character! Looking attractive or being expressive is forbidden in Islam. Marrying the man that parents have chosen and living a life according to Islam, is the best role model of obedience. These ‘being good Muslim female’ qualities are trained in the family as a fixed term, no matter how educated they are or how far they go to try and contribute to society, whether that be a writer, scientist, doctor, lawyer etc – none of it matters. Therefore, such qualities as a Muslim female must be maintained until death. Those who fail to follow the rules of being an ideal, or utter a word on behalf of females or human rights are called feminists, exiled or killed. What is the point of holding a degree and not able to question the unfair happening’s around the world?
Transgender: Transgenders are sent to prohibited areas, they cannot share their emotions, cannot work, vote or have a passport. They are sent to the river, disposed of or buried at the cemetery, even if they come from religious parents. However, it is a little relief to have learned that some transgenders are given national ID cards in 2018 and the government is considering them.
Homosexuality: Bangladesh identifies homosexuality as a choice of distorted mentality, performed by the man and woman who cannot control their sexual desires or needs before they are legally married. In addition, it is legal to arrest homosexuals under the panel code section 54 and 377, as it is deemed sedition and an antisocial behaviour in Bangladesh. In Islam, the LGBT group was destroyed during the time of prophet Luth, and instructed to kill the homosexuals on the dead sea. How is it right to allow a 3100 years old religious rule to affect a law of a country in the 20th century? Is killing a human because of their nature of sexuality a demonstration of a peaceful religion? Or a secular country?
But hey! A lot of heterosexuals are having sex before marriage, breaking the social and religious norm! But they aren’t being killed! Why? Because they are heterosexuals they are okay to break the rules as long as they apologize, yet the homosexuals are to be killed if found. This is so UNFAIR. According to the law – rules, norms and religious values are supposed to be followed by every citizen in the country. Then why are homosexuals only being targeted? Homosexuals are randomly searched to be prosecuted by the government or killed by the Islamic Radicals. The government let the murderers walk free, as if the killers have helped the government to get rid of the homosexuals. No judgement on behalf of the LGBT. They say homosexuality is ’HottaJoggo Oporadh’ meaning ‘Murderable Crime’. Marder is supposed to be a crime itself? However, Bangladesh is an exception.
It makes me jealous of the straight children who are loved by their parents. They are embraced and pardoned as they make mistakes. My birth is not my mistake! Why am I to be driven out the family? Of the society in an independent country? Why am I supposed to be praising that god’ who commanded (Shariya Law) to banish me for being homosexual?
I admit that ‘I failed to be the ideal daughter to my respected parent’s. That ‘I’, am the reason why my parents can’t go to heaven, that I disobeyed my parents every time they wanted to decide something to secure my life according to Islam and Society. I am tired of begging to them to listen to me, to not force me TO BE SOMEONE I AM NOT. I am truly sorry for all the harassment my parents had to go through all their life, just because of how unsuitable I am in their respected family.
This is just in me, this is how I am born. Neither I was given a choice prior to my birth nor was I given any idea which religion, country or environment I am going to go to. I can be responsible, make friends and care for them, feel and love exactly the same way as every other human being. Then what makes me different? My sexuality was a challenge within myself which I had to deal with every single day. I just couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me and how to fix myself for a long period of my life. Moreover, many more are suffering exactly the same way as I did. But now I know that I am no exception, there are more people like me who exist!
377 penal code is inhuman, no one supposed to be prosecuted just because they want to find a life partner of their own choice, which means being able to choose someone from the same gender. This panel code hinders the natural growth of a human being. It matters to me a lot because it took my teenage years, my youth. It matters to me because the whole LGBT community is suffering, they cannot come out because they are being treated as criminals.
I, Taushnuva Fardousi, protest against the inhuman penal code section 377. It is our demand that the government must make sex education compulsory; work on bringing awareness about LGBT on the society. Allow freedom of speech, and freedom of choice. All of their rights of living with their basic needs must be protected. The government must decriminalise LGBT in Bangladesh.
Tashnuva Fardusi
