“From now onward, a third gender individual can be a voter with their own identity, as a hijra,” Abdul Baten, the Director of National Identity Registration declared. The trans community of Bangladesh has finally been granted the right to register to vote under a “third gender” identity category. Government officials allocated the category on the national voters’ list for the country’s trans community, commonly known as hijra. Prior to the change, Bangladeshi voters could only

We are shocked, angered, and saddened to learn about the brutal murder of  Xulhaz Mannan, Editor of Bangladesh’s first and only LGBTQ magazine, “Roopbaan,” along with his friend,  Tanay Mojumdar in Dhaka today. Mannan also worked at the US development agency, USAID.  Mojumdar was an actor and also worked at “Roopbaan.” They were both killed in Mannan’s home by six militants claiming to be parcel couriers who attacked the residence guard and forced their way into Mannan’s apartment.

“I want everyone to have the same rights in society, to be treated with kindness and to be able to socialize with each other.” — Mukto. Gazi Nafis Ahmed’s photo series Made in Bangladesh focusing on a behind the scenes look at Bangladeshi garment workers was completed just days before the Rana Plaza  factory collapse in Dhaka that killed more than 1,100 people.  The photo journalist now turns his lens to the Gay community