Transgender people in Bangladesh face an exceptionally high risk of gender-based violence. They experience various forms of disadvantage and discrimination in their daily lives. Members of the transgender community face significant social stigma; a 2015 survey by Bandhu reported that all of its gender diverse participants ‘were of the opinion that no transgender person would be accepted in their community.’ For the transgender community visibility is also sometime life-threatening and isolating due to social stigma, religious beliefs and family values that create a hostile environment for them (Human Rights Watch, 2018).
To address the issue, Bandhu Social Welfare Society has developed an advocacy brief to encourage national decision makers to devise solutions to protect gender diverse people in the country.