Official documents should recognise preferred gender

Chaity was excited to attend a renowned fashion brand's festival recently. But issues arose when she went for registration. As she showed her national identity (NID) card, the person who was registering names was confused.

Chaity's NID read “Mamun Molla”. It was uncomfortable for her to explain that her name was Mamun before, but now she calls herself Chaity, as she is a transwoman.

She has to face such unpleasant experiences regularly whenever official documents like NID, passport, and certificates are involved. She had to face this situation while casting her vote in the last city election as well.

The story is the same for almost every transgender person living in the country.

Chaity and some others from the transgender community were sharing their ordeals yesterday at a seminar titled “Legal Gender Recognition: Challenges and Way Forward” at Cirdap International Conference Center in Dhaka, jointly organised by National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Asia Pacific Forum (APF).

Social Welfare Minister Rashed Khan Menon was present as chief guest while NHRC Chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque chaired the programme.

Chaity said she recently got a job at NHRC as an executive officer and thanked the NHRC chairman for recognising a representative from the Hijra community.

Joya Sikder, an activist from the community, said they have been facing harassment during medical treatment, in public transport, and while trying to rent houses.

“My sex at birth was male but I identify as a woman and live as a woman,” she said, adding that there are misconceptions prevailing in the society about them.

In a presentation, M Rabiul Islam, deputy director of NHRC, said the Hijra community faces challenges when trying to change names on legal documents such as NID, passports and certificates.

Rabiul said many in the community have started transitioning into the gender they identify with, which logically results into wanting to change names -- from a man's to a woman's and vice versa.

There is no law or policy in regards to this although the government recognised the Hijra as a third gender in 2013, he added.

Social Welfare Minister Rashed Khan Menon said the stigma of being a Hijra in the country starts within the family. From then, Hijras are deprived of legal rights, including inheriting properties.

“We should work from the policy level to ensure their rights in all aspects. Also, social awareness should address the challenges the Hijra community faces and bureaucracy should be strengthened to ensure their rights,” said Menon.

NHRC Chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque said they proposed an anti-discrimination law and sent the draft to social welfare ministry for review.

He added that the education board should accept the affidavit from transgender individuals to have their names changed on certificates, and said that he would discuss it with the concerned authorities.

Reazul urged the Election Commission (EC) to make a separate voting list for the Hijra community or instruct presiding officers to make special arrangements for the third gender to enable them to cast votes with ease at the upcoming national election.

Norwegian Ambassador Sidsel Bleken, among others, spoke at the programme.