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daily vaccination update, prepared by the Health Emergency Operation Center and Control Room of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), only provide an update of the number of men and women who took the vaccine, with no room for counting the transgender population.

The Daily Star spoke to several transgender people of the capital about the vaccination process, and an overwhelming majority of them stated that they were reluctant to take vaccines considering the horrible experiences their fellows went through.

For example, Samiul Alam Shammi, a transwoman entrepreneur and trans rights activist, said that she didn’t go to take the vaccine, as she saw how badly her “guru” had been treated when she went to take the vaccine.

A few of them also claimed that many in their community were not tested and vaccinated since they are not accustomed to the registration process, are uneducated and lack access to smart phones and internet connections.

Another major challenge, faced by the hijra community, is that since they live under their “gurus” (mentors) from their teenage years, many do not possess an NID, which is mandatory for registering online.

Some transgender people also claimed that they were not allowed to take the vaccine during the mass vaccination drive.

Megh, another transgender person, said when she and her friends went to take the vaccine at a school in the capital’s Badda, the people who maintain the queues asked them to step aside and let the others waiting in line go first.

“When we asked why, they told us to show up the next day, but we did not go later, considering the humiliation and denial,” she said.

Most of the transgender population faced similar experiences in terms of getting tested for coronavirus. For example, Chaity said she was not welcomed when, last September, she went to get a Covid test at Rajbari Sadar Hospital. “I knew some people, who helped me get tested eventually,” she said. “But I know many who went through all the symptoms of Covid-19 but didn’t get tested fearing the hassle. They took medicines from the traditional healers and dispensaries.”

“Some trans people also died of Covid-like symptoms in Dhaka, but the ‘gurus’ didn’t disclose the information to anyone, fearing the consequences.”

Dr Mashiur Rahman, advocacy manager of Bandhu Social Welfare Society, an organisation that works for the rights of gender diverse populations, said they too have received many such allegations of harassment and humiliation during the testing and vaccination process.

“We are trying through our community volunteers in districts to sensitise both the transgender people and staffers, and have been noticing some progress. However, most members of gender diverse communities are still left out of the vaccination drive,” he added.

Contacted, DGHS spokesperson Dr Robed Amin said DGHS didn’t receive any such complaint so far.

“The government already recognised them as the third gender, but we are yet to overcome the social challenges in accepting them. They will take the vaccine as per their preferred gender [male or female], and if they are denied the vaccine, we will look into it,” he said.

Dr Ainoon Naher, a professor of anthropology at Jahangirnagar University, said although the government recognised them, they first need to be accepted socially.

“They must be given the vaccine as per their gender mentioned in the NID, and there must be a complaint box in every centre so that if someone goes through any untoward situation they can make a complaint,” she said.

The government must give them an opportunity to change their gender in their NID, since they are now officially recognised as the third gender, she added.