MD Rakibul is a 22 year old born into a Islamic family from Bangladesh. In 2016 he fled persecution for his homosexuality and LGBT activism. He is certified by UNHCR as a refugee. He is currently applying for resettlement.

Aged 13 he opened up to his family about his homosexuality. He was sent to receive psychiatric treatment. He was told that homosexuality was unnatural and was subjected to male hormone therapy. This treatment caused hair loss, muscle pains and psychological trauma. He was ostracised by the local community. His family were told that they would be excluded from mosques.

Aged 18, he moved to Dhaka and opened his Facebook account, becoming connected with the Dhaka LGBT community. His university applications were rejected on the basis of his homosexuality. One university requested a doctor’s report to confirm that he was not homosexual. His father paid for him to have an operation to remove fat from his breasts to make him more masculine. Despite the medical report his university applications were rejected. Soon after his family realised, he was not heterosexual and cut off all contact and financial support.

Rakibul became a LGBT activist in Bangladesh. Consequently he was tortured by police by having cigarettes put out on his buttocks. He received constant threats of violence from members of the community. It was when two of his friends and fellow LGBT activists were murdered by Islamic extremists that he spent all his savings $17 000 USD from his grandfathers estate to pay for a USA student visa. This company was fraudulent, stealing the money, transporting him to Nepal where they tortured and abandoned him.

As an illegal immigrant he can't work. He wants to regain control over his life. Whilst he waits for refugee resettlement he can't work to cover basic survival costs. He dreams of freedom and of attending university to improve his prospects in life.

https://vimeo.com/199170858