Dhaka:Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr. ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon has issued a clarification regarding a recent speech to address any unintended confusion caused by his choice of words during a discussion marking the founding anniversary of Bangladesh Open University (BOU).
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the clarification emphasized that the primary aim of Minister Milon's remarks was to advocate for the educational participation and achievements of individuals from the marginalized third-gender community. The Minister expressed his intention to correct a specific term used during his speech and to provide context for his statement.
In the clarification issued by the Ministry of Education, Minister Milon highlighted an incident at the event where a student from the third-gender community was awarded a degree. He remarked on the importance of encouraging the educational involvement of third-gender individuals. The Minister acknowledged the societal challenges faced by this community, including neglect and negative attitudes, and stressed the importance of their pursuit of education despite these barriers.
Minister Milon explained that his use of the term "transgender" was unintentional, as his intended reference was "third gender." He underscored his respect for the religious and social sentiments of the country's people and reiterated that his comments were solely aimed at promoting educational opportunities and acknowledging the achievements of third-gender individuals.
The Education Minister's speech took place during a discussion organized on October 28 to celebrate the 34th founding anniversary of Bangladesh Open University.