Chunnu calls on Parliament to remove controversial lines from 'Sharifa's story'

Opposition WHIP and Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu urged the education minister to remove two controversial lines from the story "Sharif Theke Sharifa" in the syllabus of class VII.

"Transgender is identifying oneself as a gender other than one's birth gender. The matter is entirely mental. On the other hand, Hijra people are the third gender. The matter is innate, it applies both mentally and physically. They are known as the third gender," he said referring to "Sharifa's story" in the textbook while speaking on the point of order in the Parliament session today (4 February).

He further said, "Transgender is only a class ideology in the Western world. It was introduced to create social chaos by destroying the traditional social concepts, that is, family and religion."

"We do not think that the intention of including the concept of transgender as a third gender in our textbooks is good at all," Chunnu said.

"Many Islamic thinkers have already opined that this transgender concept is in conflict with the Islamic religion. The Republican Party of the United States is against the concept of transgender. 

"We who believe in Islam believe that those who are Hijras are not Hijras by themselves. They are the third gender from birth. Allah created them as Hijras. Their rights are recognised by the state and religion," he added.

Addressing the education minister, Chunnu said, "I will request the education minister to look at the matter seriously. Because there is a lot of talk about it on social media. Little things should not become big. 

"There is no controversy if the education minister takes the matter seriously and talks to the concerned people and withdraws two lines from the textbook."