DHAKA: The Transgender community is now officially recognised as a third gender in Bangladesh. They will now be able to study Islamic and vocational subjects free of cost at a privately funded madrassa in the capital, Dhaka. They will also have the right to vote and participate in elections, but the orthodox society still makes their education and job seeking processes difficult. According to the government of the country, there are about 10,000 hijras (South Asian word for Transgender people). However the actual number is said to be more than 50, 000.
According to the BBC, School officials, local councillors and hijra community leaders attended the opening day at the Dawatul Koran Third Sex Madrassa, which is near Lohar bridge in the Kamrangirchar area of Dhaka. Classes in the three-storey building began last Saturday.
