Ensure hijras' equal access to jobs
The government has to ensure equal job opportunity for marginalised people, including hijras, according to their competence, said speakers at a programme in Dhaka yesterday.
Addressing Bandhu Media Fellowship Award Giving Ceremony, organised by Bandhu Social Welfare Society at The Daily Star Centre, they also urged people to change their perspectives towards hijra.
Chief Information Commissioner Prof Md Golam Rahman said, “By identifying a group differently and offering special care we marginalise a group. We should come out of this perceptional problem.”
“To meet the problems of hijras, we need to address social stigma and taboo, which are creating problem to ensure their rights,” he said.
He called upon the media to point out the community's problems on a regular basis.
Chairman of Department of Mass Communication and Journalism of Dhaka University Prof Mofizur Rahman demanded such an environment in which the hijra community can live like other people.
Ten journalists -- Dilshad Karim Elita of The Daily Star, Mohammad Sakhawat Hossain of the Dhaka Tribune, Jiful Murad of the daily Ittefaq, Jakia Ahmed of banglatribune.com, Waresunnabi Khandoker of poriborton.com, Masuma Sarmin of City FM 96.0, Shafiul Alm Imran of the daily Bhorer Kagoj, Khalid Ahsan of BTV, Imdadullah Siddiquee of ATN Bangla, and MA Baten of SATV received the fellowship.
Dr Abu Jafar Md Shafiul Alam Bhuiyan, professor of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism; Sohel Haider Chowdhury, general secretary of Dhaka Union of Journalist; and Shale Ahmed, executive director of Bandhu Social Welfare Society, among others, addressed the programme.
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