Every day on buses, signals, ferries, parks and other places, day and night, some people of the third gender forcefully collect money from the common people which have been unacceptable for guru ma of the third gender people nowadays.
They say that the negative attitude of the common people towards such activities is increasing and it is creating obstacles in the way of improving the living standards of the people of the third gender. That is why they are trying to stop this collection but failing. Therefore, they requested the administration to take strict action against the collectors. They made the demand at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity on Thursday afternoon. Rakhi Sheikh read out a written statement at the press conference on behalf of Bangladesh third gender gurus. Rakhi said, “In these 50 years of independence, the country has made tremendous progress in every field. People's lives have greatly improved. The lives of the transgender have also changed. Those of us who are third gender, now continue to try to be action oriented.”
Mentioning that she is seen as different from her family or society when she is identified as the third gender, she said that an elderly third gender person gives shelter to the people of the third gender after being neglected in the family, neighbors or society. Who is known as ‘guru ma’. Many take refuge there, guru ma takes care of their sustenance, good and bad. “Now that we are the gurus here, those who are in our shelter, we are trying our best to make them self-reliant. I am training them. That is, I am trying to use the person who is interested or skilled in that job. Someone is making clothes, someone is working in a parlor.” She added.
Mentioning that people of the third gender are now learning to stand on their own feet, Rakhi said. “People of various classes and professions, public and private, have come out of the old attitude and thinking towards us. The attitude of many towards us is changing. But sad to say, at a time when most of the people in our community are moving towards a better life, a career-oriented path, a cycle of propaganda is being carried out through various means to hinder our progress. We strongly protest against this propaganda. There is no basis for the propaganda being spread against us through various means, we are against the collection of money by disturbing the common people in public transport. I do not support drug selling, robbery, theft, sex work. We are drawing the attention of the administration to take action against those who are doing such things. We do not want their actions to create a negative impression on us. We find in our traditions such as: wedding ceremonies, baby dancing, people are happy with what they give in different festivals and are satisfied with what they give.”
Noting that the present government has recognized their third gender community since coming to power, she said that high-ranking officials of the administration have been constantly cooperating in improving our quality of life, helping to make us self-sufficient in different ways at different times. Government officials are arranging their training as well as employment in different places, as a result they have been able to come out of the neglect and deprivation of society.
“We want to live normally like the other ten people in the society. I want to do what guru ma has been doing for a hundred years. We hope that the administration will take strict action against those who are harassing the people by bus, signal, ferry night and taking money by force.” Rakhi said. The press conference was attended by Asmani, Bakul Haji, Roni Haji, Anwari, Kajal, Kachi Haji, Polly, Samima, Rashida, Rashida, Sarika, Swapna, Sumi and many more.
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