Third-gender candidate to participate in Netrokona’s municipal election
Sjehuti Talukder Sonali, 30, is running for election in wards 3, 4 and 5 for the councilor seats reserved for women
A third gender person has become a candidate in the upcoming councilor election in Madan municipality of Netrokona.
Sjehuti Talukder Sonali, 30, is contesting the election in wards 3, 4 and 5 for the councilor seats reserved for women – against four other women.
Sonali submitted her nomination papers to the local returning officer on Tuesday afternoon. Several other representatives of the third gender and some voters in the constituency were with her at that moment. She is the first candidate of the third gender in the electoral history of the district.
"I have been involved in social work for a long time. Now I want to work on a large scale. Almost all the voters in the seven villages of the constituency know me. I became a candidate after talking with them and hearing their advice. Voters are encouraging me. They have accepted me very naturally," she explained.
Shejuti is the general secretary of a social welfare organisation called Shonochowa. Since 2016, the organisation has been conducting various activities to improve the living standards of the destitute, disabled and marginalised people as well as members of the third gender community.
