20 January 2026
In the Mukundobari area of Jamalpur town, an incident of widespread abuse by family members and local residents has occurred centering on the love relationship and decision to live together of two lesbian young women. Later, police arrived and took them to the police station.
On Monday evening, local residents interrogated the two young women at the house of Ujjwal Mahmud in the Mukundobari area of Jamalpur town. It is reported that, as they studied at the same school, a close relationship developed between Tamanna Akter, the 20-year-old daughter of Ujjwal Mahmud of Mukundobari village, and Ayesha Akter Jhilick, a ninth-grade student and daughter of Ali Azgar from the same area. At one stage, they became involved in a romantic relationship. Later, they decided to live together and to marry. It is learned that 20-year-old Tamanna Akter, although a lesbian, was forced into marriage with a man under family pressure. However, despite that pressure, her relationship with Ayesha Akter Jhilick continued. In the end, they decided to live together.
On 15 January, the two fled from home and rented a house in Gazipur. Later, following strategic persuasion by both families, they returned home on Monday evening. After returning, they also stated their decision to marry each other.
Later, when the incident spread, a video shows aggressive local residents surrounding and interrogating the two lesbian young women. The video shows one aggressive individual telling them, “You are a girl and she is also a girl. Under Islamic Sharia, a girl can never marry another girl. You will not contact each other. You have been separated.”
At one stage of the interrogation, the two young women broke down in tears and embraced each other. At that time, the aggressive villagers and family members present physically assaulted them, which is also seen in the video.
After receiving the information, police went to the scene, detained the two young women, and took them to the police station. It was later informed to the media that action would be taken in accordance with the law.
Mizanur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Jamalpur Sadar Police Station, said, “No complaint has been filed at the police station in this incident.”
In Bangladesh, same-sex sexual relations are punishable under Section 377 of the Penal Code. Human rights activists believe that due to this British colonial law, people in same-sex relationships often face social abuse, police harassment, and insecurity.
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