True grit for true identity

"... I was determined to continue my education no matter how difficult it might be for me. At the same time, I was also determined to establish my identity as a trans woman."

Perhaps even a few years ago, it was unimaginable for an openly trans person to pursue higher education in the country.

Most would keep their gender identities hidden due to the social stigma, which, to this day, pervades society.

However, with small steps and a heart full of courage, some have made strides, created history, and brought about changes .

Ankita Islam is one of them.

Fighting all odds, the 25-year-old has now become the first openly trans woman to be admitted to Dhaka University.

After qualifying in the admission tests in December, she has been selected to pursue her MBA at the university's Department of Management.

She is also one of the handful of Bangladeshi trans people employed in the formal sector, working as an officer at a reputed private bank for the past year and half.  

Growing up in a remote village in Tangail as a trans woman, Ankita's journey was tougher than one may think.

The continuous stigma, taunts and harassment from family and society at large had several times pushed her to the brink, sometimes even making her consider suicide.

"In Bangladesh, the first and biggest obstacle for trans people comes from their own family. Since I was a child, I used to love playing with dolls and dressing like girls. I was often reprimanded and even beaten by my family members for being 'girly'," she told The Daily Star.

The abuse further intensified in school, where her male classmates would bully her.

"Groups of boys used to take positions on my way to school to tease and harass me. My teachers never took any step in my favour, as they too thought 'being girly' was a fault and I must learn to 'become a man'."

At one point, Ankita had to stop going to school.

Like many trans people in the country, this could have been the end of her academic career. But she did not accept this fate and was determined to press on with her education.

Despite not being able to attend classes, she managed to sit for the SSC exams in 2013 and passed with flying colours.

Once she got into college for higher secondary education, however, obstacles made their way back into her life.

"By that time, I was determined to continue my education no matter how difficult it might be for me. At the same time, I was also determined to establish my identity as a trans woman."

The decision brought on more trouble for her. Her family members and neighbours started ostracising her from all fronts.

She had to leave college as well.

Once again, Ankita fought for her education as she sat for her HSC in 2015. And once again, for her hard work and incomparable grit, she passed with outstanding results.

She then got admitted to the mathematics department of Govt Sadaat College, affiliated with the National University.

"That was when I first got access to internet and started to learn about the conditions of trans people in Bangladesh. Through the web and social media, I was able to get connected with other trans people and learned how they too had been fighting to establish their identities."

However, that was also when the resistance from her family and society intensified.

"Neighbours began forcing my family to disown me, saying I was a 'curse from God' and would bring bad luck to my village. That was when the suicidal thoughts had crept into my head. I had to stop myself several times just at the last minute.

"My family was poor and seeing how they were being harassed, I had to leave them to protect them from further trauma," she said with her eyes brimming with tears. 

Ankita still carried on.

She landed tuition jobs through which she was able to finance her education and passed her honours in mathematics in 2019.

"Mathematics was my favourite subject. Many of my teachers insisted that I study humanities so that I wouldn't have to attend classes regularly. But I never gave up on mathematics."

When Ankita came across a job announcement by a private bank, she jumped at the opportunity and filed in her CV. She passed the written test and was selected for the final interview.

"In the interview, I explained to the selection board that I wanted to work in the bank while still being identified as a trans woman."

She got the job, and it changed her life.

Despite the past, Ankita began supporting her family financially and mustered up the courage to discuss her identity and the state of trans people in Bangladesh with them.

She visited her village with her friends and colleagues, who helped her speak up to the locals about her rights. 

"I can now go to my village and visit my family without having to face any threats or obstacles."

In December, Ankita applied for the MBA programme at DU. She proved her merit with outstanding results yet again.

She, however, had lost hope of getting into the prestigious institution as the high tuition fees were nearly impossible for a young professional like Ankita to manage on her own.

That is when Ho Chi Minh Islam, a rights activist and trans woman herself, came forward.

With her help, Ankita managed to get an appointment with the university' vice chancellor, to whom she explained her issues.

"The vice chancellor was moved after hearing my stories of struggle and assured me that my tuition fees would be fully waived. I applied for the scholarship and my dream of studying at Dhaka University finally came true."

Ankita never forgets what she had to lose to achieve everything that she has now.

"Trans people are some of the most marginalised people in Bangladesh. We aren't allowed live peacefully in society, we can't raise families, we can hardly get jobs. As a matter of fact, we hardly have any rights as citizens.

"However, people like Ho Chi Minh, who is a nurse in a government hospital, and I are proof that if we fight hard enough for our rights, we can get them. We can pursue a higher education, get dignified jobs and contribute to the development of our country.

"And I want to dedicate the rest of my life to establishing these fundamental rights of trans people in Bangladesh."