Bangladesh
Dhaka University Ankita becomes first transgender student of Dhaka University
Dhaka, January 10: A transgender woman got the opportunity to study for the first time in the history of Dhaka University (DU). Recently, a student named Ankita Islam enrolled in the MBA programme of the management department of the university's business education faculty.
Ankita's village home is in Nanduria, Tangail. She graduated with Honours in Mathematics from Govt Sa'adat College, Karotiya. Although she had a dream of studying in a public university, she did not even sit for the graduation entrance examination due to fear and uncertainty. But this transgender woman fought to fulfill that dream after graduation.
Ankita got an opportunity to study in DU's MBA programme through a competitive entrance exam. Despite the uncertainty, the university authorities smoothed the way for his studies. She does not have to spend any money to complete this two-year commerce programme. Transgender activist Hochimin Islam stood by her side in this fight. The teachers and students of the university have also taken the matter as positive.
Telling the story of the beginning, Ankita said, when I passed HSC, my dream was to study in a public university. At that time I was not mentally strong enough to go and study by myself. I am a transgender, and I come from a very poor family. Due to these reasons, no admission test was given in any university let alone preparation. Later I completed honours from college.
She said, "After graduation, I joined a private bank. After working here for a year, I kept thinking that it is important to do my Masters. I was also afraid of how to manage. Later I saw a circular of Dhaka University and applied with much uncertainty. Our life is uncertainty and constraints. Still, I thought I'd fight another battle. Passed the written exam here, after which I was called for viva. Before giving the viva, I was afraid of how the teachers would accept me. But the sirs were sincere enough and luckily I survived."
Ankita is the first transgender to get an opportunity to study in Dhaka University. Through this new history was created. Ankita informed about the uncertainty and said, "Even though it is difficult for me, I took the loan and got admission. But seeing the course fee, I was shocked, how can I manage so much money! Meanwhile, I had to complete my studies no matter what my strong desire. After many attempts, I met Hochimin Islam Apu and shared the incident. Apu met the vice-chancellor sir with me. Sir listened to me with enough humanity and immediately called Dean sir and gave me the opportunity to study through scholarship."
On the other hand, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman thinks that it is the university's responsibility to give transgenders like Ankita the opportunity to study.
