Women's History Month: Tasnuva Anan Shishir

Breaking new ground for transgender women in society, Tasnuva Anan Shishir, already renowned as a model and social worker, became the first-ever transgender woman to work as a news presenter on a television channel in Bangladesh.

From now on she will be seen presenting a regular news bulletin at the private satellite television channel Boishakhi Television with her first day done on 8th March, marking the occasion of International Women’s Day. 

Sharing her feelings with various news agencies, Shishir said she is overwhelmed by the opportunity. Television news presenters are taken very close to their hearts by Bangladeshis, often becoming trusted voices on the strength of regularly appearing on the screen and relaying information held in high regard.

If the aim is to normalize the presence of ‘trans’ folk in society, few positions could be more potent.“I cannot express how overwhelming this is for myself and my community. Individuals from my community have been bullied and harassed for a long, and only exposure like this can help create room for the development of our people in the society,” Shishir said.

With this kind of positive approach and exposure for individuals like her, she believes our society will thrive towards community sustainability and community development said Tasnuva. Tasnuva Anan Shishir Sharing her recruitment process, she said, “The audition and selection process was as normal and usual as it has always been for other presenters. The entire process was rigorous, and I am grateful to Boishakhi TV for selecting me.”

In conclusion, Tasnuva further addressed the obstacles faced by the transgender community. "I think there is still a lot to achieve when it comes to the good health and social acceptance of my community," she says. "I want to work for my people, and address these issues."