This chapter examines the evolution of the LGBTIQ+ rights movement and the politics of visibility in Bangladesh, where same-sex relations remain criminalized under Section 377 of the Penal Code. Drawing on qualitative interviews and focus group discussions with thirty activists from community-based organizations in Dhaka, the study explores how visibility, safety, and activism have been negotiated in an increasingly conservative socio-political context. Findings reveal that the 2016 murders of prominent queer activists marked a turning point that pushed many organizations toward underground or digital forms of movement-building and research-based advocacy. Generational differences and gendered dynamics within the movement shape how activists think about visibility and safety. Earlier leadership, often dominated by cisgender men, contrasts with the growing participation of LBQ, transgender, and non-binary activists who are bringing new perspectives. Despite shrinking civic space, the resilience of LGBTIQ+ activists continues to sustain community solidarity and incremental social change. The chapter argues for localized, inclusive, and intersectional strategies that balance safety with visibility and advance a collective, rights-based future for queer activism in Bangladesh.

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LGBTIQ+ Rights Movement in Bangladesh: Examining Visibility and Activism

  • Farhana Alam,
  • Protibha Fahari,
  • Sajib Rana,
  • Rashid

摘要

This chapter examines the evolution of the LGBTIQ+ rights movement and the politics of visibility in Bangladesh, where same-sex relations remain criminalized under Section 377 of the Penal Code. Drawing on qualitative interviews and focus group discussions with thirty activists from community-based organizations in Dhaka, the study explores how visibility, safety, and activism have been negotiated in an increasingly conservative socio-political context. Findings reveal that the 2016 murders of prominent queer activists marked a turning point that pushed many organizations toward underground or digital forms of movement-building and research-based advocacy. Generational differences and gendered dynamics within the movement shape how activists think about visibility and safety. Earlier leadership, often dominated by cisgender men, contrasts with the growing participation of LBQ, transgender, and non-binary activists who are bringing new perspectives. Despite shrinking civic space, the resilience of LGBTIQ+ activists continues to sustain community solidarity and incremental social change. The chapter argues for localized, inclusive, and intersectional strategies that balance safety with visibility and advance a collective, rights-based future for queer activism in Bangladesh.