A group of 1,230 prominent citizens, including Islamic scholars, teachers, doctors, engineers and businesspeople, has demanded punitive action against those involved in a reported same-sex marriage at Dhakeshwari Temple. The demand was made in a statement sent on August 4 by Engineer Muhammad Sadat, spokesperson for Muljobodh Andolon.

The statement said a marriage involving two men at the temple had recently been circulated in media reports and on social media. It alleged that a man named Kamal Hossain, who identified himself as transgender or a transitioned woman, married another man. The statement also asserted that the country’s constitution or laws do not recognize transgender or transgender woman as a gender category.

The signatories said no visible administrative action had been taken despite more than a week having passed since the incident. They called for an investigation and legal action against those found responsible. Signatories included university teachers, religious figures and professionals, among them Professor Mokhtar Ahmad, Mufti Saiful Islam, Dr Mohammad Sarwar Hossain, Asif Mahtab Uts and former secretary Nurul Alam.