Bangladesh TV hires country's 1st transgender news anchor

A Bangladeshi satellite television station has signed up its first transgender news anchor, Tashnuva Anan Shishir, with a hope to remove the deeply rooted social stigma they face. Photo: AP

A Bangladeshi satellite television station has hired the country’s first transgender news anchor, saying it hopes the appointment will help change society.

Tashnuva Anan Shishir, who previously worked as a rights activist and actress, debuted on Dhaka-based Boishakhi TV on Monday (March 8), International Women’s Day. She read a three-minute news bulletin, and after finishing cried as her colleagues applauded and cheered.