Nuisance created by hijras, recognised as the 'third gender' in 2013, in public places across the country has witnessed a sharp rise in recent times.
Their extortion business has reached the extreme level especially in the capital and other big cities in absence of any tangible preventive measure undertaken by law enforcers, blamed common citizens.
The hijras always disturb people at buses, trains, launches and dwelling houses. If any person refuses to pay them, they become furious and start hurling abusive words at them. Even sometimes, they launch attack on people. All this is a regular phenomenon of the hijra people. But now hijras, also known as eunuch, are gradually getting engaged in various criminal activities like murdering, stealing, snatching and drug peddling.
They reportedly have a strong nexus with the hardened criminals. The government on various occasions earlier took various measuresto engage them in works with a view to restraining them from getting involved in such deadly crimes.But, all the initiatives taken up by the government went in vain and the hijras are now coming up with new styles to make people suffer. Sometime, they realize money forcibly from the parents of new born babies in the name of child dancing. Many of them even work as sex workers, posing threat of spreading various venereal diseases.
They often perform in different groups under the supervision of separate group leaders on the basis of areas.A survey report producedby Health and Family Welfare Ministry in 2004 revealed that only 15,000 hijra were living in the country, while different non-government organizations (NGO), which work for transgender community, claimed that the number was several times higher compared to the government statistics.
As per unauthorized sources, over 1 lakh hijra people now live in Dhaka only, while their total number across the country will be over 2 lakh. In 2013, the government formally recognized the hijra as a separate gender. They have also been enlisted in the voter list and given NID (National ID), making them privileged to enjoy all civic rights.
On 19 May 2016, the government in a meeting of social safety net presided over by the then finance minister took a decision to recruit the hijras in traffic department. Implementation of the decision is under progress. Hijras however are less interested in joining formal jobs. They are more inclined to getting involved with several anti-social activities and earning money in illicit means.
And, watching them earning through easy means, many jobless youths are being engaged in such malpractices in the guise of hijra. The number of such fake hijras is on the rise due to a lack of proper monitoring. Meanwhile, a powerful network of hijras and fake hijra has been established across the capital city, according sources.
They work at various important points of the city, which include Khilgaon, Motijheel, Uttara, Mohammadpur, Adabor, Gulshan, Banani, Mohakhali, Fakirapul, Arambagh, Lalbagh, Shantinagar, Madhubagh, Mirpur, Badda, Madhya Badda, Jatrabari, Rampura and Banasree, being divided into around 500 groups.
Each group consists of 10-12 members and has a team leader named as ‘Sardar’ who controls the group and takes share of money collected by it through various means.
The sources claimed, at least 200 hijras live in Tongi, Turag, Abdullahpur, Uttara, Airport, Uttarkhan and Dakkhinkhan areas and work in 20 groups while around 40 groups work in Kathaltola, Courtbari, Azampur, Kosaibari, Ashkona and the neighbouring areas. Meanwhile, more than 50 groups work in areas surrounding Kamalapur, Sayedabad, Jatrabari, Shyamoli and Gabtoli.
They collect extortion from passengers of buses and trains, while 20 groups work surrounding Sadarghat area. Sabura Begum, 30, a resident of Green Road said, “I went to Gauchhiya to purchase some necessary goods. While returning to home in a rickshaw, I got stuck at a traffic signal near Popular Diagnostic Centre. In the meantime, a group of hijras numbering four to five snatched my purse and other goods as I refused to pay their demanded toll.” Kanchi, 35, a hijra from Khilkhet area told Bangladesh Post that his original name was Akkas Ali. Now he is known as Kanchi Hijra.
“I like to introduce me as a female. I lead my livelihood by collecting toll at different traffic signals. I have come to this line with the help of Nazma Hijra, who transformed into a hijra 35 years ago through a surgery. She has a multistoried building and two plots at Khilkhet,” Kanchi, said adding, “Recently, I have left her companionship and started living in Dholpur under the supervision of Abul Hijra, who has two multistoried buildings at Dholpur and Golapbagh areas.”
Kanchi further said, “Many hijras have amassed huge sums of money through different illegal means. Watching their success, many general people are being encouraged to disguise themselves as hijras with a view to making money in easy way. But, there is no one to monitor the activities of fake Hijra.”
Md Sohel Rana, assistant inspector general (AIG) at police headquarters said, “Law enforcers try to monitor their activities but they cannot take stern action against their illicit deeds on humanitarian grounds.”