Bangladesh LGB Needs Assessment Survey Report

Abstract

"Boys of Bangladesh (BoB), Roopbaan, as well as some individuals as a voluntary contribution, conducted a survey to scale the current needs of the lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) community of Bangladesh, devise a strategy plan to move forward in materializing those needs, identify the challenges faced by community members and put forward some possible suggestions to overcome those challenges. BoB is the oldest and the largest network of self-identified Bangladeshi gay men from home and abroad. It is a non-registered and non-profit organization run by a pool of volunteers aiming to bring the LGB community together and advocate for their social, political and legal rights. Roopbaan is a Bangladeshi not-for-profit, non-political, volunteer-based platform for people who believe in the freedom and human rights to love. Besides publishing Roopbaan - The Fagazine, it organizes various events to promote its mission and vision. The survey conducted is the first of its kind where 571 self-identified LGB individuals from across the country participated. The survey aimed to obtain robust and comparable data that would allow a better understanding of the LGB community in Bangladesh. Another objective of the survey was to successfully gauge the opinions and expectations of the members of the community before the community as a whole could embark on any large-scale public awareness campaign for LGB rights in Bangladesh. The survey data was collected through an anonymous questionnaire which was filled by the participants both online and manually. It collected views, perceptions, opinions, and experiences of individuals aged 18 years or over who identified as being lesbian, gay, or bisexual. The topics covered were related to various issues with an emphasis on sexual identity, cultural and religious factors, legal awareness and accessibility, experienced discrimination, and community belongingness and vision.