After Indonesia, A Madrasa For The Third Gender In Bangladesh
By S. Arshad, New Age
Islam
7 November
2020
Despite
being a conservative society, Bangladesh occasionally surprises the world with
the show of liberal behaviour. A few years ago, the government of Bangladesh
had introduced sex education in state-run schools. Now, Bangladesh is in news
for opening a madrasa for the third gender in its capital city Dhaka.
Renata, a transgender reading
the Quran at Wari al Fatah, Indonesia
Photo courtesy www.vice.com
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Of course,
the madrasa has not been established by the government but an NGO called Ahmad
Firdaus Bari Choudhury Foundation. However, the opening of madrasa for the
transgender community in Bangladesh shows that a section of Bangladeshi society
harbours inclusive Islamic approach to the people.
The madrasa
is housed in a three storey building in Kamrangir area of Dhaka. It will
provide boarding and food to its students who may belong to any age group. The
madrasa will provide the students with vocational training along wih lessons in
the Quran.
Dawatul Quran Third Gender
Madrasa
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Initially
150 students belonging to the transgender community will be given admission. 10
teachers have been appointed for that purpose.
The
objective behind the madrasa is to bring the transgender community into the
mainstream of the society and make them responsible citizens, according to the
General Secretary of the NGO, MD Abdul Rahman.
This
madrasa meant for the third gender community is not the first in the world. In
2008, a transgender, Shinta Ratri of Indonesia had established the first
madrasa for the transexual community in Yogiakarta in Java island. The madrasa
is called Pondok Pesantren Wari al Fatah. Wari in Indonesian language means
third gender. In a country like Indonesia where the third gender is looked down
upon and anti-LGBT activists are hostile towards them, opening a madrasa for
the third gender was not very easy. However, her madrasa got approval from the
liberal section of Indonesia. Even the influencial Islamic organisation of
Indonesia Nahdlatul Ulema quietly supported it.
Shinta Ratri at her madrasa/Photo
courtesy Okenews
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But all of
a sudden, in 2016 a campaign against LGBT was kicked off in the country by
government officials, Islamic leaders and militant Islamic organisations. A
militant organisation, Islamic Jihad Front summoned Shinta Ratri and ordered
her to close the madrasa. Ibu Shinta (Madam Shinta) as she is fondly called
asked the police to provide protection but they were afraid of the militant
Islamists. Even Nahdlatul Ulema called for the criminalisation of homosexuality
and LGBT activism. Shinta Ratri had to close her madrasa in February 2016 under
pressure. But as the anti-LGBT hysteria died down, she reopened her madrasa
after four months in June during the month of Ramadan. The madrasa has been
quietly running since then.
Waria al
Fatah offers weekly lessons in Islam and the Quran on Sunday. On weekdays, the
madrasa holds discussions, get together and other services. It provides
vocational training and ID cards to its members. It also provides food aid and
mobile clinic for the elder people.
In short,
Shinta Ratri's madrasa has given meaning and purpose to the lives of the
transgender people whom the society hates and mocks.
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/after-indonesia,-madrasa-third-gender/d/123407