Project Description

The Hijra community in Bangladesh has long been trapped in a cycle of social exclusion, poverty, and misunderstanding. Lacking access to education, skill training, and formal employment, many are forced into begging, extortion or other socially rejected means of survival. Their public behavior, shaped by years of rejection and hardship, often deepens public discomfort, reinforcing a cycle of stigma, fear, and disrespect. From childhood, they face harassment, social exclusion, and a life without dignity or opportunity.

This project envisions a healing space that bridges the gap between the Hijra community and the wider society, transforming perceptions through visibility, respect, and shared interaction. Architecturally, it takes the form of a vibrant public plaza in Mohammadpur, Dhaka, an area where the Hijra community, slum dwellers, Bihari settlements, and affluent residents coexist. This unique social mix makes it an ideal site for fostering acceptance and connection.

The plaza integrates small business stalls for Hijra-led enterprises in crafts, tailoring, mehndi design, beauty services, food stalls and cultural activities alongside a training center with classrooms, workshops, and a multipurpose hall for skill development and community events. It also nurtures ecological healing through lush planter boxes, green pockets, and permeable surfaces integrating nature into the built form to soften the urban landscape.

By offering a platform for economic independence and creative expression, the space dismantles stereotypes and reintroduces the Hijra community as skilled, contributing members of society. বৃহন্নলায়ন transforms walls of prejudice into windows of opportunity restoring dignity, fostering acceptance, and weaving them back into the social fabric.