Mymensingh ( Bangladesh ) ( AFP ) – Kicked out of other prayer services, members of Bangladesh’s transgender hijra community have been welcomed at a new mosque in the Muslim- majority nation with the promise of worship without discrimination.
Issued on: 29/03/2024- 08: 03Modified: 29/03/2024- 08: 01
4 seconds
Advertising
The modest, one-room shed with iron roof and walls serves as a new group hub for the majority, who have seen greater legal and political reputation in recent years but also suffer from ingrained prejudice.
No one can stop a woman from praying in our mosque from now on, group leader Joyita Tonu told the gathered congregation.
” No one can insult us”, added the clearly personal 28- year- ancient, a white scarf covering her hair.
The government gave the land donated by the state’s woman community after they were removed from an established community to build the dome close to Mymensingh, northeast of the money Dhaka, on the banks of the Brahmaputra river.
” I never dreamt I was worship at a mosque once in my lifetime”, said Sonia, 42, who as a child loved to read the Koran and studied at an Islamist school.
However, when she emerged as woman, or as trans women are more commonly known in South Asia, she was prevented from praying in a mosque.
” People may tell us: ‘ Why are you transgender people here at the mosque? You may pray at house. Do n’t come to the mosques,'” Sonia, who uses only one name, told AFP.
” It was shameful for us, so we did n’t go”, she added. ” Today, this is our dome. Today, no one can declare no”.
Like any other person, perhaps?
Hijra have benefited from increasing legal reputation in Bangladesh, which has since publicly allowing members of the group to identify as a second gender.
Numerous candidates have re-emerged in Bangladeshi politicians, with one transgender girl becoming president of a remote town in 2021.
However, because they lack house and union rights, hijra still struggle for basic reputation and approval.
They face a lot more violence and poverty than the typical Bangladeshi, and they are frequently discriminated against in work.
In addition, radical Islamist organizations have protested against the inclusion of trans Bangladeshis in school textbooks and organized demonstrations to demand that the government stop pushing for their inclusion in the curriculum.
The new dome, the first of its kind in the nation, was the idea behind the woman charity, according to Mufti Abdur Rahman Azad.
He continued, adding that a similar project that was being planned in another town was postponed last month as a result of local protests.
The Dakshin Char Kalibari Masjid for the Third Gender, which opened this month, received the help of dozens of native woman women who had donated time and money.
After a local Muslim cemetery next time refused to destroy a young hajj woman inside its grounds, it also has a cemetery.
The temple’s imam, Abdul Motaleb, 65, said that the oppression of the woman community was against the lessons of his belief.
The preacher told AFP,” They are like any other persons created by Allah.”
No one can be denied, they say.
” We all are human beings. Even some are gentlemen, some are people, but all are people. Everyone has the proper to pray, and no one can be denied, because Allah revealed the Holy Koran to anyone.
Motaleb claimed that other Bangladeshis may take lessons from the convictions and resilience of the woman.
” Since I have been here at this dome, I have been impressed by their personality and transgressions”, he said.
The new shrine is now tackling prejudice. Tofazzal Hossain, a 53-year-old native resident, has been offering Friday prayers there for the next week in a row.
He said life and praying with the woman society has changed his “misconceptions” about them.
” When they started to live with us, some folks said some points”, he told AFP.
” But we’ve realised what people say is n’t right. They live justly like another Muslims”.
Tonu wants to make the basic shrine bigger much to accommodate more people.
” God willing, we will do it quite quickly”, she told AFP.
” Hundreds of people may give prayers up”.
© 2024 Epa
