In Bangladesh, the lives of transgender people still echo a quiet struggle—gender markers on ID cards, humiliation in hospitals, discrimination at work, and rejection in housing. Within this reality, From Sharif to Sharifa—a story of transformation—is more than a tale of personal courage. It’s a lesson for society itself.
And yet, news has surfaced that a university lecturer, Asif, reportedly tore the book in anger—an act that symbolically mirrors the silencing of voices and the fear of knowledge. To tear a book is to announce the death of reason; what remains is only fear and hate.
We must learn this: when opinions clash, engage in debate—respond to books with books, not with destruction. When we belittle the struggles of transgender people, darkness replaces the light of the university.
What needs to be done:
- Implement gender-sensitivity training on campuses
- Include inclusive texts in university libraries
- Ensure safe and confidential complaint systems
- Enforce anti-discrimination policies in institutional practices
Identity is not a crime; dignity is everyone’s right. From Sharif to Sharifa reminds us—change is hard, but never impossible. Let the promise of our universities and our society be this: not to tear, but to understand.
