Bangladesh’s Dhakeshwari temple faces controversy over a Muslim transgender's wedding

NewsBharati    24-Aug-2026 16:47:30 PM
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New Delhi, August 24: Bangladesh’s national temple, Dhakeshwari Temple in Dhaka, has come under controversy after reportedly hosting the marriage of Tasnuva Anan Shishir, a Muslim transgender actor and former television news presenter, to a man, whose identity has not been disclosed. 

Bangladesh’s Dhakeshwari  
 Transgender Muslim actor Tasnuva Anan Shishir and a man in Dhaka (Image: The Print) 
 
The ceremony took place on July 10 and has been described by Bangladeshi media as the country’s first reported transgender marriage. The event has triggered a wider debate over religion, interfaith marriage, transgender rights and Bangladesh’s legal position on same-sex relationships.
 
According to reports, Shishir arrived at Dhakeshwari Temple dressed as a bride in traditional attire, wearing vermilion and conch-shell bangles. The identity of the groom has not been disclosed. The couple reportedly completed the temple’s paperwork before priests conducted traditional Hindu marriage rituals.
 
DN Chatterjee, general secretary of the Dhakeshwari Temple committee, said the ceremony was conducted according to Hindu rituals. He also denied allegations that the wedding had been arranged in exchange for a large payment, saying the temple received Tk 2,000 as a customary offering. The wedding became a major subject of discussion weeks later after photographs and accounts from the ceremony circulated on social media.
 
 
A statement reportedly circulated by Mullobodh Andolon was signed by 1,230 people, including Muslim clerics and conservative professionals. It described the ceremony as an illegal “same-sex marriage” and demanded an investigation and legal action.
 
Anti-LGBTQ activist Mohammad Sorowar Hossain also sought an explanation from the temple authorities. The description of the marriage as a same-sex union has itself sparked criticism. Educator and cultural practitioner Oliur Sun argued that Shishir identifies as a woman and has legally changed her name and undergone a gender-affirming medical transition.
 
The controversy has therefore expanded into a debate over whether transgender identities are being accurately represented in public reporting.
 
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Bangladesh continues to retain Section 377 of its Penal Code, a colonial-era provision criminalising certain same-sex sexual activity, with punishment extending up to life imprisonment. Although reportedly rarely enforced, rights groups say the provision can contribute to harassment of LGBT people.
 
Police have reportedly examined documents submitted by the temple and indicated that legal action could follow if a formal complaint is filed.
 
The Dhakeshwari wedding has consequently become a larger test of Bangladesh’s approach to religious tradition, interfaith relationships, transgender identity and individual freedom.
Bangladesh Dhakeshwari Temple LGBTQ Section 377 transgender actor Hindu Muslim