Cabinet approves Hijra identity
The government today approved a proposal of the social welfare ministry to identify "Hijra" as another form of sex and to use its sexual identity in different government’s documentation like passports and national ID cards.
The approval came at the weekly cabinet meeting at Bangladesh Secretariat. Hijra community welcomed the government’s decision saying it would help reducing their social discrimination.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain said the approval has been given for the overall welfare of the Hijra people.
He said there are 10,000 Hijra people in Bangladesh who are neglected in the society. He said the Hijra people face discrimination in education, housing, health, and in other fundamental fields and there were no identity of their sex in passport, national ID cards, among others.
The cabinet has identified Hijra as “inborn sexual disable people” and as Hijra in the form of English translation.
Talking to The Daily Star, Bangladesh Hijra Kallyan Foundation President Abida Sultana Mitu welcomed the decision saying, "I would like to thank the government for this initiative."
"As we are the most neglected section of the society, I think the government will take more steps for protecting our rights," she added.
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