BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF Deeply Concerned Over Violence and Arbitrary Arrests of the Hijra (Third Gender) Community in Chattogram and Narayanganj

“বাংলা ভাষার সম্পূর্ণ সংস্করণ দেখার জন্য, নিচে স্ক্রল করে ‘More’ এ ক্লিক করুন।” "Pour consulter les versions complètes en français, faites défiler vers le bas et cliquez sur ‘Voir plus’.”

Paris, France; 19 October 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a France-based human rights organization, expresses deep concern and strong condemnation over the brutal attacks and arbitrary arrests of members of the Hijra (third gender) community on 10 September in Boalkhali, Chattogram, and on 17 September in Rupganj, Narayanganj.

JMBF calls for the immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the perpetrators, as well as the unconditional release of the arrested Hijras and the withdrawal of all false cases filed against them.

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF strongly condemns and protests the vandalism of the food cart and threats against sexual minority intersex woman Jannatul Nayeem Pori in Dhaka

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Paris, France; August 27, 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses deep concern, strong condemnation, and outrage over the incidents of vandalism, destruction of a food cart, and threats made by local influential individuals against sexual minority intersex woman Shawon Islam, also known as Jannatul Nayeem Pori, in Uttara, Dhaka, on August 17 and 18, 2025.

At the same time, the France-based human rights organization JMBF has strongly urged the immediate arrest of those involved, the filing of cases under existing laws, and the swift and transparent trial of the perpetrators to ensure exemplary punishment.

JMBF Leaders Raise Alarming Concerns over Violence against LGBTQI+ People in Bangladesh at International Conference in France

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Paris, France; August 22, 2025: Advocate Shahanur Islam, Founder President of JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), and Advocate Mohammad Alamgir, Secretary General of JMBF, joined the 2025 Euro-Mediterranean Summer Universities of Homosexualities (UEEH), held from August 10 to 21, 2025, in Vic-en-Bigorre, France.

UEEH, first launched in 1979, is one of the world’s longest-standing international initiatives created entirely by and for LGBTQIA+ communities. Unlike conventional conferences, it functions as a self-organized grassroots gathering, where participants live and work together in a setting rooted in solidarity, inclusivity, and mutual respect. Over the years, it has become a vital platform for knowledge exchange, activism, and community building across Europe, the Mediterranean, and beyond.

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF expresses deep concern and outrage over the lifetime expulsion of transgender female student Sahara Chowdhury from Sylhet Metropolitan University

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Paris, France; 20 August 2025 – JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) has expressed deep concern, anger, and strong protest over the lifetime expulsion of transgender female student Safwan Chowdhury Rebel, also known as Sahara Chowdhury, from Sylhet Metropolitan University on 10 August. The expulsion was carried out under pressure from organized groups solely on the basis of her gender identity and sexual orientation, without any specific reason being provided.

JMBF believes that this decision is not only unjust and discriminatory, but also contrary to the Constitution of Bangladesh, existing laws, international human rights treaties, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Depriving a student of the right to education based on gender identity or sexual orientation constitutes a violation of fundamental rights.

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF Deeply Concerned Over Persecution and Expulsion of LGBTQ+ Students at DUET

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Paris, France; August 7, 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses deep concern over the incident at Dhaka University of Engineering & Technology (DUET), Gazipur, where seven students were detained and tortured in their dormitories on July 19, 2025, merely on the accusation of being sexual minorities—specifically homosexual—and were subsequently temporarily expelled from their dorms on July 22 and 24 by the university administration.

JMBF condemns this horrific discriminatory act and violation of personal privacy rights at DUET, which contravenes the Constitution of Bangladesh, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and other international human rights treaties.

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF Deeply Concerned Over the Brutal Killing of Gay Man Rafiqul Islam in Gazipur

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Paris, France; 26 July 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a Paris-based human rights organization, expresses grave concern and strongly condemns the premeditated and brutal murder of Mr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, a gay man, in Gazipur on the night of 19 July 2025.

JMBF firmly believes that the deliberate killing of Rafiqul Islam solely based on his sexual orientation constitutes a gross violation of fundamental human rights and human dignity.

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF Condemns the Brutal Murder of Gay Electrician Parvez Hasan and Urges Immediate Action to End Violence Against the LGBT+ Community

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Paris, France; 13 July 2025: France-based human rights organization JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses deep concern and strongly condemns the brutal murder of gay electrician Parvez Hasan (35) in Rupganj, Narayanganj, widely recognized as a hate crime rooted in his sexual orientation.

JMBF firmly believes that murdering a person solely because of their same-sex relationship constitutes a grave violation of existing laws, the Constitution of Bangladesh, and the fundamental human rights enshrined by the United Nations.

FRANCE: JMBF and SIL Participate in “Paris Parade 2025” — The Largest Annual LGBTQI+ March in Paris

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Paris, France; June 29, 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), the only France-based human rights organization advocating for the rights of Bangladeshi LGBTQI+ individuals, and Solidarity International LGBTQI (SIL), an organization working globally for LGBTQI+ rights, proudly participated in “Paris Parade 2025,” the largest annual LGBTQI+ march held in Paris.

The vibrant event took place on June 28, beginning at 2 PM from the historic Louvre Museum and continuing to Nation Square, bringing together a sea of participants in a powerful demonstration of solidarity.

JMBF Secretary General Attends Queer Film Screening at French Ambassador’s Residence in Dhaka

Dhaka, Bangladesh; June 25, 2025: Advocate Mohammad Alamgir, Secretary General of JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), attended a special queer film screening hosted by the Embassy of France in Dhaka, held at the official residence of Her Excellency Ms. Marie Masdupuy, Ambassador of France to Bangladesh.

The event was organized as part of Queer Week 2025, a global initiative celebrating LGBTQI+ culture, identity, and rights through art and dialogue. The French Embassy’s initiative offered a safe and inclusive space for conversation and representation of queer voices through cinema.

BANGLADESH: JMBF deeply concerned over arson and looting at the residence of sexual minority Sohel Asha in Brahmanbaria!

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Paris, France; 24 June 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a France-based human rights organization, expresses deep concern and strong condemnation over the planned arson and looting carried out by extremists on Friday, 20 June 2025, at the residence of sexual minority hijra Sohel Asha in Kali Kachh Union, Sarail Upazila, Brahmanbaria.

JMBF firmly believes that this barbaric attack is not only a severe violation of human rights but also a glaring reflection of the ongoing discrimination, violence, and social exclusion faced by gender-diverse communities in Bangladesh.

BANGLADESH: Condemnation of the brutal attack on Nazrul Hijra in Jessore and call for urgent legal reforms to protect human rights for LGBT individuals without discrimination

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Paris, France | June 12, 2025 — JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a France-based human rights organization, expresses deep concern and outrage over the premeditated brutal attack on Nazrul Hijra, a well-known third-gender Hijra individual from Baliaghat village in Jessore district. On the night of Wednesday, May 28, around 10:30 PM, local assailants armed with traditional weapons violently assaulted him, severely injuring him and looting eight tolas of gold jewelry. He is currently receiving treatment at Jessore General Hospital.

BANGLADESH: JMBF Deeply Concerned Over NCP Chief Organizer’s Statement Labeling LGBTQ+ Individuals as "Mentally Ill" and “Cancer to Society”

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Paris, France | May 28, 2025: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses deep concern and unequivocal condemnation over a statement published on May 18, 2025, by Mr. Sarjis Alam, Chief Organizer of the Northern Region of the National Citizens Party (NCP), on his verified Facebook page. In the statement, Mr. Alam referred to members of the LGBTQ+ community as "mentally ill" and "cancer to society." As an international human rights organization based in France, JMBF finds this rhetoric to be in stark violation of fundamental human rights principles and a direct attack on the ideals of equality, dignity, and tolerance.

JMBF Celebrates International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia 2025!

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Paris, May 18, 2025: France-based human rights organization Justicemakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) has celebrated the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOT) 2025. On May 17, the organization issued a press release and marked the occasion by publishing the “Annual LGBTQI+ Rights Report in Bangladesh – 2024.” As part of the celebration, the organization also organized an international conference titled "Lawyers’ Commitment to Protect LGBTQI+ Rights" on May 13 at the French National Bar Council Conference Room.

PRESS RELEASE: JMBF Releases 2024 Annual Report on the State of LGBTQI+ Rights in Bangladesh

To read the full report, click here: Annual State of LGBTQI+ Rights in Bangladesh 2024.

Paris, 17 May 2025: France-based human rights organization JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) has officially published the “2024 Annual LGBTQ+ Rights Report of Bangladesh” today. Through a press release from the capital city of Paris, the organization outlines a detailed picture of the violence, oppression, and discriminatory behavior faced by the LGBTQI+ community in Bangladesh from January to December 2024.

The report is based on various national and regional newspapers, online news platforms in Bangladesh, and JMBF’s own investigations and data sources. It presents information on murders, physical assaults, suicides, police harassment, arrests, false cases, and other human rights violations against lesbians, gays, transgender, intersex, and other sexual minorities.

সংবাদ বিজ্ঞপ্তি: মানবাধিকার প্রতিষ্ঠান জেএমবিএফ-এর বাংলাদেশের বার্ষিক সমকামী অধিকার প্রতিবেদন ২০২৪ প্রকাশ

সম্পূর্ণ প্রতিবেদনটি পড়তে এখানে ক্লিক করুন: বাংলাদেশে এলজিবিটিকিউআই+ অধিকার বিষয়ক বাৎসরিক প্রতিবেদন ২০২৪।

প্যারিস, ১৭ মে ২০২৫: ফ্রান্সভিত্তিক মানবাধিকার সংগঠন জাস্টিসমেকার্স বাংলাদেশ ইন ফ্রান্স (জেএমবিএফ) আজ ‘বাংলাদেশের বার্ষিক সমকামী অধিকার প্রতিবেদন ২০২৪’ আনুষ্ঠানিকভাবে প্রকাশ করেছে। ফ্রান্সের রাজধানী প্যারিস থেকে এক সংবাদ বিজ্ঞপ্তির মাধ্যমে সংগঠনটি ২০২৪ সালের জানুয়ারি থেকে ডিসেম্বর পর্যন্ত সময়কালে বাংলাদেশে এলজিবিটিকিউআই+ সম্প্রদায়ের ওপর সংঘটিত সহিংসতা, নিপীড়ন ও বৈষম্যমূলক আচরণের বিস্তারিত চিত্র তুলে ধরে।

প্রতিবেদনটি বাংলাদেশের বিভিন্ন জাতীয় ও আঞ্চলিক পত্রিকা, অনলাইন সংবাদমাধ্যম এবং জেএমবিএফ-এর নিজস্ব অনুসন্ধান ও তথ্যভাণ্ডারের ভিত্তিতে প্রস্তুত করা হয়েছে বলে বিজ্ঞপ্তিতে উল্লেখ করা হয়েছে। এতে লেসবিয়ান, গে, ট্রান্সজেন্ডার, ইন্টারসেক্স এবং যৌন সংখ্যালঘু অন্যান্য ব্যক্তিদের ওপর সংঘটিত হত্যাকাণ্ড, শারীরিক নির্যাতন, আত্মহত্যা, পুলিশি হয়রানি, গ্রেপ্তার, মিথ্যা মামলাসহ নানা রকম মানবাধিকার লঙ্ঘনের তথ্য উপস্থাপিত হয়েছে।

Communiqué de Presse: JMBF publie le Rapport Annuel 2024 sur l'État des Droits des Personnes LGBTQI+ au Bangladesh

Pour lire le rapport complet, cliquez ici : État annuel des droits LGBTQI+ au Bangladesh 2024.

Paris, le 17 mai 2025 : L'organisation française de défense des droits humains, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a officiellement publié aujourd’hui le Rapport Annuel 2024 sur les Droits des Personnes LGBTQI+ au Bangladesh. Par le biais d’un communiqué depuis Paris, l’organisation présente un tableau détaillé des violences, persécutions et comportements discriminatoires subis par la communauté LGBTQI+ au Bangladesh entre janvier et décembre 2024.

Selon le communiqué, ce rapport s’appuie sur diverses sources, notamment des journaux nationaux et régionaux, des plateformes d’information en ligne du Bangladesh, ainsi que sur les propres enquêtes et bases de données du JMBF. Il présente des cas de meurtres, d’agressions physiques, de suicides, de harcèlement policier, d’arrestations, de fausses accusations et d’autres violations des droits humains visant les lesbiennes, gays, personnes transgenres, intersexes et autres minorités sexuelles.

JMBF Hosts International Conference on Lawyers Committed to LGBTQI+ Rights in Paris

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Paris, May 14, 2025 — JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), in collaboration with the French organization Stop Homophobie, hosted the International Conference on Lawyers Committed to LGBTQI+ Rights at the prestigious auditorium of the French National Bar Council (Conseil National des barreaux) in Paris on May 13, 2025. The event underscored the essential role of legal professionals—both in France and globally—in defending LGBTQI+ rights and combating discrimination.

Is Love a Crime? State Indifference and the Persecution of Lesbian Women – A Bangladeshi Reality

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Advocate Shahanur Islam

On April 26, 2025, in Faridganj, Chandpur, two teenage girls—Arohi and Ritu—expressed their mutual love and attempted to ‘marry’ each other on their own initiative. That was their "crime." In the eyes of society, their families, and even the state, their relationship was seen as illegal, immoral, and perverse. As a result, instead of validating their love, they were subjected to persecution. 

Pressured by local Islamic fundamentalist groups, their families handed them over to the police. The police, instead of fulfilling their social and legal duties, merely warned them strictly to ensure such an incident would not happen again and returned them to their families the next day—essentially allowing society and religious groups to take over the ‘responsibility’ of correcting them. The state, in this instance, remained a silent spectator, and law enforcement effectively became complicit in the persecution. This reflects the longstanding oppression and state indifference faced by lesbian women in Bangladesh.

International Conference on Lawyers’ Commitment to LGBTQI+ Rights, Paris

"Veuillez lire la version française ci-dessous."

On May 13, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM, the auditorium of the French National Bar Council (Conseil National des barreaux) in Paris will host a conference dedicated to the commitment of lawyers in defending the rights of LGBT+ individuals. Jointly organized by Stop Homophobie and JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), this event will highlight the crucial role lawyers play, both in France and internationally, in combating discrimination and anti-LGBT+ violence.

Press & Public Statement: JMBF Strongly Condemns the Police Handing Over of Two Lesbian Teenagers in Chandpur, Bangladesh

"Veuillez lire la version française ci-dessous."

Paris, France – May 1, 2025: France-based human rights watchdog, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), expresses its strongest condemnation and deep concern over the recent incident in which two lesbian teenagers—Arohi (19) and Ritu (17)—were forcibly separated and handed over to police in Faridganj, Chandpur on April 26, 2025, under pressure from local religious extremists.