PRESS RELEASE: JMBF Releases Groundbreaking Annual State of LGBTQI+ Rights in Bangladesh 2023

Paris, France - May 17, 2024 - JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) proudly announces the release of the "Annual Report on the State of LGBTQI+ Rights in Bangladesh 2023," coinciding with the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia. This day serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing global struggle for LGBTQI+ rights and underscores the importance of collective action in combating discrimination and prejudice.

This report, following the groundbreaking inaugural edition in 2022, represents a comprehensive analysis of the challenges and advancements in LGBTQI+ rights in Bangladesh. It acknowledges that the documented incidents may not fully represent the actual number and types of abuses against LGBT individuals in Bangladesh, as many incidents go unreported due to social stigma and unacceptability.

Compiled by JMBF through rigorous monitoring of news media and analysis, the report covers developments in LGBTQI+ rights from January to December 2023. It provides a detailed examination of the legal, social, and cultural landscape impacting LGBTQI+ individuals in Bangladesh, highlighting both progress and persistent challenges.

JMBF Granted Membership to IGLYO

 Paris, France; May 14, 2024: In a remarkable stride towards fostering inclusivity and support for LGBTQI communities, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) has achieved a significant milestone by securing membership in the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI) Youth & Student Organisation (IGLYO) headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

The official announcement, made on May 14, 2024, following approval from the esteemed IGLYO board, marks a pivotal moment for JMBF, reaffirming their steadfast commitment to championing the rights and welfare of LGBTQI individuals.

JMBF, a prominent entity dedicated to social justice and equality, operates within France with a primary focus on empowering Bangladeshi communities. Through alignment with IGLYO, they aim to broaden their outreach and collaborate on a global scale to address the challenges facing LGBTQI youth and students worldwide.

JMBF's Urgent Demand for Justice in the Border Killings by Indian BSF and Immediate Halt to Violence

 Paris, France; May 09, 2024: The France-based rights organization, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), expresses profound anguish and outrage in the strongest condemnation of the recent unjust and egregious killings of two Bangladeshi nationals by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) at the Tetulia border in Panchagarh district on May 8, 2023, early morning. The brutal and unwarranted killing of Abdul Jalil and Yasin Ali, unarmed youths whose lives were ruthlessly snatched away, is an affront to humanity and a blatant violation of human rights.

According to reports published in different news media in Bangladesh, JMBF learned that on May 08, 2024, early morning between 12:30 am to 1:00 am, the Indian Border Security Force killed two Bangladeshi youths, Abdul Jalil, 24, of the Magura area, and Yasin Ali, 23, of the Tiranihat Brammatal area, along the Tetulia border in Panchagarh district using only two bullets. One of the Bangladeshis sustained a bullet to his head, while injuries to another could not be seen due to profound bleeding on the body; The Indian forces took away their bodies after the killings.

Transgender Individual Found Dead in Apparent Suicide in Gazipur

In a tragic incident on April 17, 2023, the lifeless body of Abdul Mannan Ananya (22), a transgender individual, was discovered hanging in a rented house in Gazipur's Sreepur area. The distressing occurrence unfolded within Dhanua village of Sreepur upazila in Gazipur.

Abdul Mannan Ananya, the deceased, hailed from Dakshin Bartopa village of Mauna Union in Sripur Upazila, being the son of Nurul Amin. He had been residing on rent in the residence of Tofazzal Hossain, a resident of Dhanua village.

Bangladesh: JMBF and SIL Express Strong Concern Over the Recent Arrest of Two Lesbian Individuals in Tangail

 Paris, France; April 30, 2024: France-based rights organizations JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) and Solidarity International LGBTQI (SIL) jointly express profound concern and outrage over the recent arrest of two lesbian individuals from Tangail, Bangladesh, on April 21, 2024, due to their sexual orientation and same-sex relationship.

JMBF and SIL believe the arrest of the two lesbian women, who wished to marry, is a grave violation of their fundamental human rights and dignity as declared in the Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh and the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).