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There is little pre-colonial texts that have survived in Bangladesh noting on homosexuality,[clarification needed] and also in overall, homosexuality in the country has a very short written history but concepts of the third gender has always been part of the culture.[citation needed]
During the British Period, Bangladesh was part of the Bengal Presidency where homosexuality was formally criminalized under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code in 1861. The Partition of India made East Bengal into East Pakistan – a Muslim majority nation where homosexuality remained taboo like the colonial era.
The culture of Bangladesh is influenced by both Bengali and Islamic ideologies,[1] where homosexuality is absent, or present with homophobia and ignorance/silence about it. Bengalis have always been conservative and prohibition-minded regarding any kind of romance and sexuality. Any kind of sexuality whether it is homosexual or heterosexual along with romance has always been viewed negatively and repressed heavily in Bangladeshi society.[citation needed]
Like in the rest of South Asia, third gender communities such as the Hijra have been present since the pre-colonial times. These communities include transgender women, intersex peoples and eunuchs.[2] While hijras have legal recognition in modern-day Bangladesh, they still face heavy discrimination.
- ^ Lewis 2011, p. 102.
- ^ "The Third Gender and Hijras". rpl.hds.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2023-12-27.