Dhaka, August 14, 2025
Two separate general diaries (GDs) have been filed against Safwan Chowdhury Rebel, also known as Sahara Chowdhury, a transgender woman and student of Sylhet Metropolitan University, after she posted a satirical cartoon on Facebook depicting two of Bangladesh’s most notorious anti-LGBTQ+ extremist leaders.
First GD Filed by IUB Teacher
On August 12, 2025, Mohammad Sorowar Hossain, a professor at Independent University Bangladesh (IUB) and a prominent anti-LGBTQ+ leader, filed a GD at Vatara Police Station in Dhaka. Sorowar, accompanied by supporters and other anti-LGBTQ+ figures, alleged that Sahara’s cartoon post was a direct death threat against him.
However, Sorowar himself has long been accused of leading campaigns of hatred and intimidation against LGBTQ+ individuals, feminists, and liberal activists. He is also the author of the book “Mission of Homosexuality Behind the Mask of Equality”, which is widely cited as spreading misinformation and fueling hostility against sexual minorities in Bangladesh.
Second GD by Manarat University Teacher
Just two days later, on August 14, 2025, another anti-LGBTQ+ leader, Asif Mahtab Utsha, filed a second GD against Sahara at Uttara Paschim Police Station in Dhaka, making similar allegations. Utsha, currently a teacher at Manarat International University, is notorious for tearing textbooks during an anti-transgender seminar and calling on his followers to abandon academic materials.
In 2024, BRAC University terminated its contract with Utsha after his actions sparked widespread condemnation. Despite this, he continues to hold a teaching post and remains an influential figure among right-wing extremist networks.
A Climate of Harassment and Extremism
Human rights defenders argue that the cases against Sahara are not isolated incidents, but part of a broader pattern of harassment orchestrated by extremist leaders who exploit state mechanisms to suppress LGBTQ+ voices. With the growing influence of right-wing Islamist groups under the current interim government, activists say these leaders have gained unprecedented power to pursue their anti-LGBTQ+ agenda.
Observers warn that such actions not only threaten the safety of LGBTQ+ individuals but also erode fundamental freedoms of speech, expression, and academic independence in Bangladesh.
