Bangladeshi mosque opens its doors to transgenders

In a new development, Bangladesh opened its door to the members of the transgender community to pray in a newly built mosque.

The mosque named Dakshin Char Kalibari Masjid is located near Mymensingh, north of the capital Dhaka, on the banks of the Brahmaputra river. The single-room structure has been built on the land donated by the government, Al Jazeera reported.

For 42-year-old Sonia, praying in the mosque has been an overwhelming experience. “I never dreamt I could pray at a mosque again in my lifetime,” she told Al Jazeera. As a child, Sonia loved to recite the Quran.

However, after she came out as a transgender woman, Sonia could no longer pray in a mosque. The transgender community are often disallowed to pray, a common practice seen in South Asian countries.

“People would tell us: ‘Why are you hijra people here at the mosques? You should pray at home. Don’t come to the mosques’,” said Sonia.

“It was shameful for us, so we didn’t go,” she added. “Now, this is our mosque. Now, no one can say no,” Al Jazeera quoted her. The newly built mosque will allow Sonia and many others like her to pray without facing any discrimination.

Since 2013, Bangladesh has softened its stand against the transgender community drawing criticism from hardline Islamist groups. Recently, the community found a mention in school textbooks, sparking strong protests.