While the exact number of hijras in Bangladesh is unclear, there are around 12,000 according to government estimates made in 2012. When asked about the new initiative, State Minister of ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak said: “We want to give the hijras a better life by training them with IT facilities. General Secretary of Bangladesh Hijra Kalyan Foundation Dr M Xane Alam Raabid said: “Before training the hijras, their mindsets need to be changed. Moshiur said: “If the government’s ICT department wants, we could even bring hijras to the IT trainings. “If they want, we could bring hijras from outside Dhaka for training too.”He also informed that they currently have three hijra employees working with computers in their office.

Source: Dhaka Tribune November 30, 2017 06:11 UTC