Human Rights Group Calls for End to Section 377 Criminalisation in Bangladesh

Paris, 30 June – Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) raised the alarm over the continued criminalisation of consensual same‑sex relationships in Bangladesh, urging the repeal of Section 377 of the Penal Code. The appeal was made at an international conference titled “Apero‑Debate: Les Droits LGBTQI+ Dans le Monde,” hosted by the LGBTQI+ Centre in Paris at the close of Pride Month 2026.

Co‑organisers Solidarité International LGBTQI+, Agir Ensemble pour les Droits Humains and the Paris‑Île‑de‑France LGBTQI+ Centre convened activists, diplomats and civil‑society leaders from several nations. Participants stressed the need for dialogue, solidarity and cross‑border networking to confront the wave of persecution.

During the “Criminalisation and Colonisation” round‑table, JMBF founder Shahnoor Islam explained that Section 377 is a colonial‑era statute inherited from British rule, still used to criminalise consensual same‑sex conduct. He emphasized that the law fuels fear and legitimises discrimination, and must be abolished.

Shahnoor highlighted that since the ousting of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government in August 2024, extremist Islamic groups have intensified attacks on queer and trans people, issued threats to activists, expelled LGBTQI+ students from educational institutions and amplified hateful discourse on digital platforms.

JMBF’s 2025 annual review recorded 260 distinct human‑rights violations, affecting at least 426 members of the LGBTQI+ community. The report underscores cases of school‑goers forced to quit, youths rejected by families, activists subjected to continuous intimidation and countless individuals forced to hide their identities for survival.

The organization called for a series of concrete actions: complete repeal of Section 377, legal accountability for attacks, protective measures for LGBTQI+ students, robust mechanisms to curb hate speech, decisive action against extremist violence and amplified international support for local defenders of LGBTQI+ rights.

The Paris forum concluded with a unified call for the global community to rally behind Bangladesh’s LGBTQI+ population and press the government to align its laws with universal human‑rights standards.