On 10 November 2014, members of the Hijra community marched in Dhaka in an event publicly referred to as Hijra Pride. The procession moved from the National Press Club area through parts of the city, with participants carrying banners identifying themselves as “Hijra”, a term officially recognized as a third gender by the Government of Bangladesh the previous year.
The event marked one of the first large-scale public gatherings of the community following this recognition. Participants included Hijra individuals from various districts, along with some human rights organizations. Slogans centered on legal identity, access to education and employment, and the right to live without discrimination.
Despite the official recognition of “Hijra” as a gender category in 2013, community members continued to face limited acceptance, social stigma, and barriers to housing, work, health care, and safety. Many participants described the march as a statement of visibility and presence in public space, rather than celebration.
Hijra Pride 2014 stands as an early public assertion of gender-diverse identity in Bangladesh’s contemporary history. The event is remembered as part of ongoing efforts to secure dignity, recognition, and basic rights for Hijra communities in the country.
Photo by Sk. Hasan Ali. Copyright Demotix (10/11/2014)
Bangladesh Feminist Archives 