S M Shaon Parvez, UK
In the suffocating grip of Bangladesh’s archaic laws and bigoted society, LGBT individuals are not just marginalized—they are hunted, humiliated, and criminalized like animals in a medieval witch hunt. Section 377 of the Bangladesh Penal Code, that rotten relic of British colonial oppression, stands as a monstrous symbol of this tyranny, branding consensual love between adults as “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” and threatening them with life imprisonment. This isn’t justice; it’s a legalized license for hate, a cowardly tool wielded by religious zealots and spineless politicians to crush human dignity. As of November 2025, in a nation reeling from the 2024 political upheaval that ousted Sheikh Hasina’s government and installed Muhammad Yunus’s interim regime—a regime that’s done jack shit to dismantle this abomination—the plight of LGBT people has only worsened. Mob violence surges, police extortion thrives, and societal stigma festers like an open wound. I want LGBT rights in Bangladesh—not tomorrow, not in some vague future reform, but now. Anything less is a betrayal of humanity, a capitulation to barbarism, and a stain on our nation’s soul.
This blog is a furious indictment of the status quo, a rallying cry against the oppressive machinery that imprisons love and murders hope. We’ll dissect Section 377’s poisonous roots, expose the daily hell faced by LGBT Bangladeshis, highlight the cowardly failures of successive governments, and demand radical change. If you’re comfortable with the status quo, stop reading now—because what follows is a blistering takedown of a system that’s rotten to its core.
The Colonial Poison That Keeps on Killing: Origins of Section 377
Section 377 isn’t some homegrown Bangladeshi evil; it’s a vile import from the British Raj, imposed in 1860 as part of the Indian Penal Code to enforce Victorian morality on colonized subjects. The language is as archaic as it is absurd: “Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.” What the hell does “against the order of nature” even mean? In practice, it’s a catch-all for any non-procreative sex, but it’s weaponized almost exclusively against same-sex acts, turning private consensual intimacy into a public crime.
When Bangladesh gained independence in 1971, we had a golden opportunity to purge this colonial filth. But no—our so-called leaders, too busy pandering to conservative mullahs and international donors, let it linger like a bad smell. The 1972 Constitution promised secularism, but by 1988, Islam was declared the state religion, embedding religious bigotry into the legal framework. Section 377 fits perfectly into this hypocritical mess: rarely enforced in court (because proving consensual acts is tough), but constantly used by police for extortion, blackmail, and arbitrary arrests. It’s a sword hanging over every LGBT person’s head, reminding them that their love is “unnatural,” their existence criminal.
Reports from Human Rights Watch (HRW) as of November 2025 scream this reality. In their World Report 2025, HRW condemns Bangladesh for retaining this “discriminatory law,” noting that it fuels police abuse and societal violence. Amnesty International’s 2025 State of the World’s Human Rights echoes this, calling Section 377 a “tool of repression” that violates ICCPR Articles 17 (privacy) and 26 (non-discrimination). The UK Home Office CPIN on Bangladesh: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (Version 3.0, August 2025) states that while prosecutions are rare, the law creates a “climate of fear,” with LGBT individuals facing routine harassment. And let’s not forget the UN Human Rights Council’s UPR mid-term review in 2025, which urged Bangladesh to repeal Section 377—recommendations ignored by the Yunus regime, proving their utter contempt for human dignity.
This law isn’t just outdated; it’s a fucking disgrace, a colonial hangover that perpetuates hate in a country that fought for freedom from oppression. It legitimizes discrimination, emboldens bigots, and tells LGBT youth that their identities are worth less than dirt. I want LGBT rights in Bangladesh, starting with the immediate scrapping of this monstrous provision. Anything less is cowardice.
The Daily Hell: Discrimination, Violence, and Invisibility in Bangladesh
Being LGBT in Bangladesh isn’t living—it’s surviving in the shadows, dodging bullets both literal and metaphorical. Society views homosexuality as a “Western disease” or “moral corruption,” fueled by religious dogma and patriarchal bullshit. Mosques preach against it, families disown children, and communities shun “deviants.” The result? A epidemic of forced marriages, “corrective rape,” suicide, and mental health crises.
Take the numbers: As of November 2025, the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) reports over 500 documented cases of violence against LGBT individuals since 2020, though under-reporting means the real figure is exponentially higher. HRW’s July 2025 report, “Surge in Post-Transition Violence,” details a 40% increase in attacks on sexual minorities since Hasina’s fall, attributing it to emboldened Islamist groups like Hefazat-e-Islam. These fanatics, who once demanded death for atheists, now target LGBT people with equal venom, organizing marches and fatwas that incite murder.
The 2016 hacking death of Xulhaz Mannan, founder of Roopbaan (Bangladesh’s first LGBT magazine), was a watershed moment of horror. Mannan and his friend Tonoy were butchered in their home by Al-Qaeda affiliates, their bodies mutilated in a display of savage homophobia. The killers claimed it was for “promoting homosexuality.” Justice? The trial drags on, with witnesses intimidated and perpetrators at large. Amnesty’s April 2025 report calls it “emblematic of impunity,” noting that post-2024, similar threats have spiked.
Transgender people, especially hijras, fare no better. The 2013 recognition as a “third gender” was hailed as progress, but it’s a farce. Hijras get voter IDs marked “H,” but no real rights—no marriage equality, no adoption, no protection from discrimination. They beg on streets, face police rape, and die young from violence or disease. The US State Department’s 2024 Human Rights Report (published 2025) documents over 200 assaults on trans individuals in 2024 alone, with police often the perpetrators.
Women in same-sex relationships suffer double hell—patriarchy plus homophobia. Lesbians are “corrected” through rape or forced marriage, their stories buried in silence. Bisexuals? Erased entirely, dismissed as confused or promiscuous. And don’t get me started on intersex people—medical “normalization” surgeries without consent, a violation of bodily autonomy condemned by the UN in 2025 UPR reviews.
Post-2024, the Yunus regime’s flirtation with Islamists has made things exponentially worse. Hefazat-e-Islam, that nest of bigots, now holds sway, pushing for stricter “moral laws.” Their December 2025 march in Shukrabad against “atheist writers” (a thinly veiled attack on secularists including LGBT advocates) called for killings— “wajib” (obligatory) executions for apostates and blasphemers. If atheists are targets, LGBT people are next. I want LGBT rights in Bangladesh because this regime’s inaction is complicity in genocide by neglect.
The Cowardly Failures of Governments: From Hasina to Yunus
Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League talked a big game about secularism but did squat for LGBT rights. They kept Section 377, ignored UN calls for repeal, and let police abuse run rampant. Sure, the 2013 hijra recognition was a token gesture, but it didn’t stop the 2016 Mannan murder or the subsequent crackdowns on LGBT events. Hasina’s regime was too busy fighting Islamists to risk alienating conservatives.
Now, Yunus—the Nobel “saint”—presides over a regime that’s even worse. Promising reform, he’s delivered chaos. Post-August 2024, Islamist influence has skyrocketed, with Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefazat calling shots. The interim government’s “moral policing” campaigns, as per HRW’s December 2025 report, have led to raids on suspected LGBT gatherings, arrests under vague “obscenity” laws, and vigilante justice. Yunus’s silence on Section 377 is deafening—a betrayal of the secular vision he claims to uphold.
International pressure? Bangladesh ratifies treaties like ICCPR and CEDAW but ignores them. The 2025 UPR mid-term review lambasted the country for failing to protect sexual minorities, recommending decriminalization—recommendations dismissed as “Western interference.” Freedom House’s 2025 report downgraded Bangladesh to “Not Free,” citing LGBT suppression as a key factor.
This governmental cowardice isn’t incompetence; it’s calculated bigotry. Leaders pander to mullahs for votes, sacrificing LGBT lives on the altar of power. It’s disgusting, it’s deadly, and it must end. I want LGBT rights in Bangladesh because without them, our “democracy” is a sham.
Global Shame: How Bangladesh Lags Behind the World
Look around—India struck down Section 377 in 2018 (Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India), Nepal recognizes same-sex marriage, Taiwan leads Asia in LGBT equality. Even Pakistan, with its blasphemy horrors, has trans rights laws. Bangladesh? Stuck in the Stone Age, a pariah among nations.
The UN’s 2025 Sustainable Development Goals review slams Bangladesh for failing SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), noting LGBT exclusion hinders progress. ILGA’s State-Sponsored Homophobia Report 2025 lists Bangladesh among 64 countries criminalizing same-sex acts, correlating with higher violence rates.
Donors like the World Bank and EU tie aid to rights reforms, but Yunus’s regime ignores them, prioritizing Islamist appeasement. This isolation hurts everyone—tourism, investment, global standing. Bangladesh’s homophobia isn’t just internal rot; it’s international embarrassment.
Advocacy in the Shadows: Heroes Fighting the Darkness
Despite the terror, brave souls fight back. Roopbaan, founded by Mannan, survives underground, providing support and awareness. Boys of Bangladesh offers peer counseling. Hijra leaders like Joya Shikder push for better implementation of 2013 rights, demanding employment quotas and anti-violence laws.
Diaspora groups in the UK and US lobby for change, petitioning the UN. Activists like Rasha (pseudonym) risk life for online campaigns, but face cyber threats under the Cyber Security Act.
These heroes deserve medals, not machetes. Their work exposes the regime’s hypocrisy—talking “inclusivity” while enabling hate. Support them, amplify them, because silence is complicity.
The Path Forward: Demands for a Just Bangladesh
Enough is enough. I want LGBT rights in Bangladesh—full stop. Repeal Section 377 immediately. Enact anti-discrimination laws covering orientation and identity. Protect against hate crimes with enhanced penalties. Educate police, judges, and schools to root out bias. Recognize same-sex unions, adoption, and gender changes without hurdles.
Yunus, if you’re listening: Be the change-maker your Nobel suggests, not a puppet for bigots. To the people: Shed your prejudices; love is love. To the world: Hold Bangladesh accountable—condition aid on reforms.
Without these changes, Bangladesh remains a prison for LGBT souls, a nation unworthy of its liberation heroes.
Conclusion: Rise Up or Rot
Bangladesh’s treatment of LGBT people is a national disgrace, a festering wound on our collective conscience. Section 377 isn’t law—it’s legalized hate, a tool for tyrants. From colonial chains to modern mobs, the story is the same: fear over freedom, bigotry over humanity.
But hope flickers in the darkness. With global pressure, local heroism, and political will, change is possible. I want LGBT rights in Bangladesh because every human deserves to love without fear, live without shame, and exist without apology. Anything less is unacceptable. Rise up, Bangladesh— or rot in your self-inflicted hell.