Two transgender candidates poised to rattle social and political norms

Draped in a white saree with a megaphone in her left hand, Anwara Islam Rani walks the streets of Rangpur day and night.

Her small group of followers stand by her side holding posters that seek votes for the "eagle" in the upcoming Jatiya Sangsad polls.

An independent candidate, Rani is one of the two trangenders participating in the national polls this time.

Another is Urmi, contesting for the Gazipur-5 constituency as a candidate of the Bangladesh Supreme Party (BSP).

This will be the first try for the duo and both their stories are fascinating tales that challenge conventional social and political norms.

For Rani, she is running against none other than Jatiya Party (JaPa) Chairman GM Quader, a heavyweight for Rangpur-3.

In the last 32 years, JaPa has lost the seat only once.

But Rani is confident that she will win as the "voters are fed up with the JaPa leaders who never keep their promises".

People of Rangpur don't want them [JaPa] anymore. They've boycotted the JaPa leaders. GM Quader, in particular, is not wanted at all.

"Rangpur's people no longer want the Jatiya Party. There is a particular atmosphere in the constituency where I don't even consider GM Quader as a rival anymore. If the election is held fairly and no injustices happen to me, then I will beat him by more than one lakh votes," the independent candidate tells The Business Standard over the phone.

From a poverty-forced drop out to aspiring MP

Born in Ward-26 of Rangpur City Corporation's Noorpur area, Rani comes from a low-income family. Her father was a transport worker, who passed away in 2011. Poverty had forced her to drop out of the Rangpur Government Technical School and College.

But a glance at her wealth statement shows that even destitution wasn't an obstacle she had worried about surmounting.

According to the affidavit she submitted to the Election Commission, Rani's annual income stands at only Tk4.80 lakh, which she earns from doing business.

Apart from this, she has cash of Tk55,000 while those dependent on her hold Tk1.22 lakh.

In her bank account, Rani has deposits of Tk23.64 lakh. She also has a Tk36 lakh worth Toyota car.

Among her immovable assets, Rani owns six decimals of non-agricultural land which is worth an estimated Tk60 lakh. Her brother and sister-in-law have promised that they will provide Tk1 lakh to support her campaign.

Her wealth, while impressive, pales in comparison to her rivals. But she carries on, undeterred.

A newcomer in the political arena, Rani describes herself as an organiser and a small entrepreneur.

"In 2009, I founded an organisation named 'Nyay Odhikar' to improve the quality of life of people of the third gender. I am serving as the president of this organisation. Through it, we have provided livelihood for 41 people of the third gender community. Later, I also founded a business organisation named 'Rupantor'. We have employed 24 backward people in our community in this organisation," she said.

From running parlour contesting polls

Urmi, a transgender, runs a beauty parlour in Gazipur.

It's where she has grown up in and where she feels much adoration from the people.

Growing up, she saw a great deal of suffering in the area stemming from poverty and proliferation of drugs.

Now, Urmi has decided to take matters into her own hands.

She became a member of the Bangladesh Supreme Party's (BSP) central committee.

Due to her commitment, the party has nominated her to become the next member of parliament.

Now, as a transgender contesting for the Gazipur-5 constituency in the upcoming polls as an aspiring lawmaker, Urmi has pledged to stand by the poor.

"If I am elected, I will always stand by the poor. Also, I would like to eliminate the influence of drugs in my area, and eventually from society," she told The Business Standard (TBS).

The party has been given the "ektara" symbol.

"We hail from the Maizbhandar, Sufis of the Madina Sanad," she said, referring to her community.

Acknowledging that her party is fairly new, she said she has full faith that there would be no obstacle as long as they are on the right path.

"I want to show everyone that our party is honest. We are purely a Sufi group. Everything we do will be honest and sincere," she added.

"They nominated me and I am forever grateful. I want to be with the people of Gazipur in happiness and sorrow, in adversity and danger," said Urmi.

Speaking on Urmi's candidacy, BSP Office Secretary Ibrahim Mia told TBS, "Our party is Islamic but not conservative. Our party is liberal.

"We have ensured representation of all communities and classes while giving out nominations. Urmi did not make any selection in the past. This is her first election," he added.

This election is not just an achievement for Urmi but also a great deal of joy for the Hijra community.

In her constituency, there are seven others running for the elections.

When Urmi submitted her affidavit to the Election Commission, she mentioned that she earns around Tk1.8 lakh annually from business.

Urmi listed around Tk8 lakh of cash and 5 bhori gold among her only assets. She is a self-made, self-educated person with no land or home to her name.