The government yesterday approved a proposal of the social welfare ministry to identify hermaphrodites (hijras) as persons of another gender and to use their sexual identity in different government documents like passports and national ID cards.
The approval came at the weekly cabinet meeting at Bangladesh Secretariat, which hijras welcomed, saying it would help reduce social discriminations against them.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain said the approval was given for the overall welfare of hijras.
There are 10,000 hijra people in Bangladesh who are neglected and face discriminations in education, housing, health services and other areas, he added.
The cabinet has identified hijras as "individuals sexually disabled since birth" and the word "hijra" will appear on the government documents.
Talking to The Daily Star, Bangladesh Hizra Kalyan Foundation President Abida Sultana Mitu said, "I would like to thank the government for this initiative."
"As we are the most neglected section of the society, I think the government will take more steps for protecting our rights," she said.
The cabinet also approved the Bangladesh Energy and Power Research Council Act 2013 and Bangladesh Hotel and Restaurant Act 2013.