Bangladesh’s LGBT community living in fear after gay activists killing | World News - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Bangladesh’s LGBT community living in fear after gay activists killing

ByAP, New Delhi
Apr 28, 2016 06:14 PM IST

The killing of two gay rights activists in the Bangladeshi capital has driven the country’s already secretive and small gay community underground, wondering if they can trust a government that considers their status to be criminal, rights groups said.

The killing of two gay rights activists in the Bangladeshi capital has driven the country’s already secretive and small gay community underground, wondering if they can trust a government that considers their status to be criminal, rights groups said.

Bangladesh activist Xulhaz Mannan, as he attends a Bengali New Year rally organised by a Bangladesh LGBT society in Dhaka..(AFP File Photo)
Bangladesh activist Xulhaz Mannan, as he attends a Bengali New Year rally organised by a Bangladesh LGBT society in Dhaka..(AFP File Photo)

Police detectives say they are working with evidence, including a mobile phone, documents and witness testimony to solve the case, in which a gang of young men fatally stabbed a theatre actor and the editor of Bangladesh’s only LGBT rights magazine, who also worked for the US Agency for International Development.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

With these latest killings in an ongoing wave of violence targeting atheist writers and outspoken moderates, members of Bangladesh’s minority groups and civil society worry they’re not safe, while rights groups question the government’s repeated claims that the situation is under control.

That fear is especially strong among members of Bangladesh’s largely closeted gay community.

“They have gone into hiding. They are feeling particularly vulnerable,” said Meenakshi Ganguly of Human Rights Watch. “Being gay is hard enough in conservative societies.”

After the government advised those at risk to simply lay low and avoid offending others, she said, “LGBT people are hardly likely to have faith in a government that pretty much denies the LGBT community exists.”

Five people have been killed this year after nine were slain in 2015. But while authorities have arrested suspects in some of those cases — mostly low-level operatives following orders are allegedly carrying out the attacks — none has yet been prosecuted, and authorities have yet to identify the masterminds.

Police say they are waiting until investigations are complete before taking any suspects to court. For the 2013 killing of an atheist blogger, a court has sentenced two men to death and six others to time in prison.

The attacks follow a similar pattern -- a group of young men wielding knives or machetes approach their victim as his guard is down, perhaps while he is strolling down the street or relaxing at home. The men spew hateful language, then hack and stab at their victim before disappearing, often without a trace.

Nearly all of those killed are considered soft targets -- atheist bloggers, foreign aid workers, a university professor, and now two gay rights activists.

Nearly all the attacks have been claimed by transnational Islamist extremist groups, including the Islamic State and affiliates of al Qaeda.

The government has dismissed these claims of responsibility, saying these groups have no presence in the Muslim-majority nation of 160 million in South Asia.

Instead, it says the attacks are part of a campaign by domestic groups aligned with political opposition parties who want to undermine Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s secular government and restore Islamic rule. It has yet to publicly present any evidence of such a campaign.

The opposition has denied the allegations, saying they are being scapegoated for Hasina’s failures in maintaining security.

“These attacks are politically motivated, well-planned to destabilise the country,” retired Maj Gen Abdur Rashid, a security analyst, told The Associated Press.

But that doesn’t mean the effort isn’t coming from abroad or coordinated with international groups, he said. “This is designed to create sense of insecurity among people so they get terrified, and they are succeeding in doing that.”

Responsibility for Monday’s attack was claimed by the AQIS-affiliate Ansar al Islam, which said its victims were targeted as “pioneers of practising and promoting homosexuality”.

One of the victims, Xulhaz Mannan, a prominent gay in Bangladesh was a leading activist and editor of the Roopbaan, a LGBT rights magazine he launched in 2014.

Bangladesh outlaws homosexual relations, punishable by up to life in prison.

Mannan had openly described how difficult it is to be gay in Bangladesh. In a 2014 blog entry, he called Bangladesh “a country where the predominant religions identify a same sex lover as a sinner, the law of the land as a criminal; social norms as pervert; culture as imported — how should life be for LGBTs in Bangladesh?”

With police apparently struggling to prevent more targeted attacks, many members of civil society have become spooked into moving abroad or going underground.

Human rights lawyer and activist Sara Hossain, a friend of Mannan, ridiculed the government’s repeated statement that they have the situation under control.

“If it is so, then why people are being killed in every 24 hours?” she asked.

Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real-time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it's all here, just a click away! - Login Now!

Get Latest World News along with Latest News from India at Hindustan Times.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On