The Non-Governmental Organisation ‘Pathway’ observed the 47th martyrdom anniversary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the architect of independent Bangladesh and the National Mourning Day.
A Milad Mahfil and special prayers were held seeking Dua for Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and all the martyrs of his family on Monday (August 15) at Pathway's head office in Mirpur of the city.
More than 2 hundred third gender people and the mass people of Mirpur were present at the time of Milad Mahfil. Later, discussion and painting competition were held where children participated.
Moreover a feast distribution of food was offered to mass people as well as the transgender people. On this occasion, Pathway organised various cultural and other programmes including hoisting the national flag half-mast.
Kanta, the representative of the third gender people there, said, “If the Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was alive, we would not have been so neglected in the society. He would have given us more opportunity to work for the development of the country. On the occasion of his 47th martyrdom anniversary, our sincerest appeal to the Prime Minister and other important persons of the country to create more workplaces for the third gender people.”
In the discussion, Pathway's Executive Director Md Shaheen said we should connect the backward sections of the society to the mainstream to build Bangabandhu's dream of building Sonar Bangla. He also requested to the family, society, and close relatives of the transgender people to treat the neglected third gender people as a human being.
“Negative attitudes to them should be avoided by the people of the society. We need to pay attention to their education, health and housing and other basic rights,” he added.
He also said that the transgender people can be provided various technical training and create opportunities for them at the workplace for the development of the country.
He also asked everyone to come forward to remove the unemployment problem by providing employment opportunities for them by ensuring equal rights for them to get jobs at public and private sector.
He requested all the financial institutions in the country to provide financial assistance and opportunities to the third gender people.
In this regard, Pathway, a Non-Governmental Organization, has already taken initiative of providing small loans to the third gender people (Hijras) to eliminate their unemployment problem and make them financially independent, the executive director of Pathway added.
Former organising secretary of Bangladesh Awami Jubo League SM Zahid, social service officer (Zone-6) KM Shahiduzzaman, chairman of Pathway Rizur Rahman, executive director of pathway Md Shaheen , adviser of Pathway Saddum Hossain Fayez ,officials of various cooperative organisations including people of the third gender were present at the special Dua and Milad Mahfil.
