Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in Bangladesh face widespread social and legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ people.
Homosexuality is illegal and criminalised under Bangladeshi law, which is inherited from the colonial British Indian government's Section 377 of 1860. According to the law, the punishment for engaging in same-sex sexual activities is up to life imprisonment. Though rarely enforced, it is used to arrest, harass and extort individuals based on their sexual orientation.
In 2014, hijras gained official third gender recognition codified by the Cabinet of Bangladesh, with voter lists offering third gender options and hijra candidates running for government positions, though other communities of transgender people remain unrecognised.
Homosexuality is widely disapproved in Bangladesh with no legal protections against discrimination. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer-identifying individuals frequently report harassment, discrimination, abuse, and violence for their gender identity and sexual orientation. While hijras are generally more accepted and have historically held culturally important roles, they also face severe discrimination and unequal access to various social services like housing and health care.
Legality of same-sex sexual activity
Homosexuality has historically been a strong social taboo in Bangladesh. However, Bangladeshi brothels do have male prostitutes for homosexual clients.
Formal laws against homosexuality were imposed by the British when Bangladesh was a part of British India; they were enacted in 1860 through the Indian Penal Code and went into effect in 1862. These laws were carried over into the Pakistan Penal Code following the partition of India in 1947, and continue to be part of Bangladesh's legal code since its independence from Pakistan in 1971. In 2009 and 2013, the Bangladeshi Parliament refused to overturn Section 377.Pawar, Yogesh. Bangladesh Refuses to Abolish Criminalisation of Same-Sex Ties; in Denial about its 4.5 Million-Strong LGBT Community, Dhaka Shoots Down the United Nations Human Rights Commission Recommendations., 2013. Print
Section 377 ("Unnatural offences") of the Penal Code forbids anal and oral sex, regardless of the gender and sexual orientation of the participants: The ambit of Section 377 extends to any sexual union involving penile insertion. Thus, even consensual heterosexual acts such as fellatio and anal penetration may be punishable under this law.
Recognition of relationship and adoption for same-sex couples Bangladeshi law does not recognise same-sex relationship, civil unions, or any kind of domestic partnership for couples of the same sex nor does Bangladeshi society recognise them. Even heterosexual relationships are impeded by social conservatism as, culturally, society is largely based on "marriage arranged by guardian" system. Despite restrictions, same-sex relationships are often reported in Bangladesh. Couples have been detained and can be imprisoned and/or fined by the authorities. There is no legal route for adoption for same-sex couples in Bangladesh.
Gender identity
On 11 November 2013, hijras were recognized as a separate gender by the Bangladeshi Government in a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Along with males and females, hijras will be identified as a separate gender on official documents. A survey by the Ministry of Social Welfare showed that as of 2013, there are 10,000 registered hijras in the country. Despite this, Bangladesh does not have policies outlining measures individuals must undergo to legally change their gender on their official documents, nor is there clarity about who may qualify as a hijra.
In December 2014, the Ministry of Social Welfare invited hijras to apply for government employment.See:
In January 2015, the Ministry of Health issued a memorandum requesting that "necessary steps are taken to identify hijras by conducting thorough medical check-ups". These check-ups resulted in hijras having to strip check and have their genitals confirmed. Photographs of these check-ups were later released to confirmed that hijras are "really men". In July 2015, after a hijra witnessed the murder of a secular blogger, and successfully helped in the arrest of the perpetrators, who were Islamic radicals, the Bangladeshi government announced plans to recruit and enlist hijras as traffic police. In April 2019, it was reported that Bangladesh will allow the "hijra" to vote under their proper gender identity, as officials have introduced "hijra" as a third gender option on voting forms for the first time. A project has been initiated to offer government-constructed houses to individuals who are homeless or lack land ownership. In Bangladesh, where the national population exceeds 170 million, there are approximately 12,000 transgender individuals.
Bangladesh opened its first religious school for transgender people in Dhaka. More than 150 students were initially expected to study Islamic and vocational subjects for free. Classes started from 7 November 2020. There was no age limit set for the enrollment of students.
A project has been initiated to offer government-built houses to individuals who are homeless or lack land ownership. Notably, the scheme includes transgender people for the first time, garnering widespread appreciation. As part of this initiative, at least 140 members of the transgender community have been provided housing across the country, enabling them to establish new sources of livelihood.
Persecution United States Department of State report In 2017, the United States Department of State report highlighted the human rights abuses against LGBTQ people in Bangladesh: "The most significant human rights issues included: extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary or unlawful detentions, and forced disappearances by government security forces; restrictions on civil liberties, including freedom of speech, press, and the activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs); a lack of freedom to participate in the political process, corruption, violence, and discrimination based on gender, religious affiliation, caste, tribe, including indigenous persons, and sexual orientation and gender identity also persisted and, in part, due to a lack of accountability." Freedom of Expression, Including for the Press"Non-governmental Impact: atheist, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) writers and bloggers reported they continued to receive death threats from violent extremist organizations. In November, a human rights lawyer claimed he received death threats for writing about and advocating for the country's LGBTI community." Acts of Violence, Discrimination, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity"Consensual same-sex sexual activity is illegal under the law. LGBTI groups reported police used the law as a pretext to bully LGBTI individuals, as well as those considered effeminate regardless of their sexual orientation, and to limit registration of LGBTI organizations. Some groups also reported harassment under a suspicious behavior provision of the police code. The transgender population has long been a marginalized, but recognised part of society, but it faced continued high levels of fear, harassment, and law enforcement contact in the wake of violent extremist attacks against vulnerable communities. Members of LGBTI communities received threatening messages via telephone, text, and social media, and some were harassed by police. In May, RAB forces raided the Chayaneer Community Center in Keraniganj Upazila during a dinner organised by the LGBTI community from that area. According to witnesses, 28 individuals were arrested of the 120 persons present at the time of the raid. The witnesses also stated RAB separated the diners into small groups and beat them before identifying individuals for arrest. During the raid RAB announced to the media the raid was conducted based on suspicion of homosexual activity and allowed the media to photograph some of the arrested individuals. RAB later announced the attendees were not engaged in "illegal sexual activities" at the time of the raid and were instead arrested for possession of narcotics—specifically yaba (a combination of methamphetamine and caffeine) and cannabis. The court system remanded four of the individuals. Of the remaining 24 individuals, 12 were detained for further questioning and 12 were sent directly to jail. Following these events and continued harassment, many members of LGBTI communities, including the leadership of key support organizations, continued to reduce their activities and sought refuge both inside and outside of the country. This resulted in severely weakened advocacy and support networks for LGBTI persons. Organizations specifically assisting lesbians continued to be rare. Strong social stigma based on sexual orientation was common and prevented open discussion of the subject." HIV and AIDS Social Stigma"Social stigma against HIV and AIDS and against higher-risk populations could be a barrier for accessing health services, especially for the transgender community and men who have sex with men." Discrimination with Respect to Employment and Occupation"The labor law prohibits wage discrimination on the basis of sex or disability, but it does not prohibit other discrimination based on sex, disability, social status, caste, sexual orientation, or similar factors."
In 2022, Bangladesh expressed dissatisfaction at a United States human rights report stating that there had been arbitrary arrests of LGBTQ, saying that the tendency to impose their values on Bangladesh was regrettable, and that the arrests were not arbitrary as they would go to a court of law.
Incidents Murder of Xulhaz Mannan In April 2016, LGBTQ activist Xulhaz Mannan, founder and publisher of Roopbaan, the only magazine for the LGBTQ community in Bangladesh, was killed, along with Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy, another LGBTQ activist. Ansar-al-Islam, an Al-Qaeda-linked group, claimed responsibility for the murders stating as he had himself confirmed his sexuality, he needed to be killed according to shariah law. In May 2019, eight extremists were charged by Bangladesh police for the murders. Four of the eight are in custody and police are still searching for the others.
Expulsion of transgender people In November 2023, Hochemin Islam, a transgender woman, faced exclusion from the North South University (NSU) women's carnival, as university authorities cited security concerns. Moreover, a group of students issued threats of unrest and pledged to boycott exams if her inclusion was pursued. Notably, during student rallies, there were banners explicitly expressing "no transgender" sentiments.
In March 2025, Mohammad Muntasir Rahman, a prominent LGBTQ activist in Bangladesh, was included as an initial member of the first 151-member committee that was released by the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP); however, he was later expelled from the party after his LGBTQ activism and open life as a homosexual came to light. Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah, two of the most senior leaders in the NCP, gave statements supporting his expulsion, emphasising Bangladesh's identity as a Muslim-majority country.