Bangladesh Gay Travel Index 2026
Score = Legal 16/60 + Scene 0/40 = 16/100 · thin scene coverage — legal-weighted provisional score
Updated 15 Oct 2026 · release 2026.3.
A live score, not an annual report — it recomputes as laws, rulings and the scene itself change. See what moved in 2026.
Legal composite · Legal milestones · Scene on the ground · Frequently asked questions
Same-sex intimacy is criminalized or actively repressed here. Consult your government travel advisories before any trip; this listing is informational, not an endorsement of travel.
Legal composite — 16/60 points
| Criminalization | Criminalized |
|---|---|
| Partnership | ● No not recognised |
| Anti-discrimination | ● No |
| Gender recognition | Restricted — heavy barriers (surgery, courts) or rarely granted |
| Enforcement reality | Harassment — police or state harassment documented |
Research note: Hijra-only recognition; mob violence surge, police abuse — GayOut Index 2026.3 legal research (ILGA World / Human Dignity Trust / Rainbow Europe / Equaldex).
Legal composite, five components
Fulfilment per component (100 = maximum). Weights: criminalisation 35% · partnership 20% · enforcement 20% · anti-discrimination 15% · gender recognition 10%.
Legal milestones
Background, not travel advice — how the current status came to be. For planning a trip, rely on the current score, tier and scene sections above; 2026 movements are tracked in the sourced change log.
- 1860British colonial rulers enacted Section 377, punishing same-sex relations with up to life imprisonment. ↗
- 1971Bangladesh retained Section 377 in its Penal Code after independence. ↗
- 2013The government formally recognized hijras as a distinct third legal gender. ↗
- 2016LGBTQ activists Xulhaz Mannan and Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy were murdered by Islamist extremists in Dhaka. ↗
- TodaySection 377 remained in force, used to harass and extort LGBTQ people despite rare formal prosecution. ↗
Sources: ILGA World · Human Dignity Trust · Equaldex. Each milestone links to a reference source ↗.
Scene on the ground — 0/40 points
Detailed scene metrics (for researchers)
| Gay bars per million | — |
|---|---|
| Saunas per million | — |
| Events per million | 0 |
| Coverage grade | — |
| Scene score | 0/40 (raw scene index 0/100) |
Frequently asked questions
Is Bangladesh safe for gay travellers?
Bangladesh is rated High risk on the GayOut Gay Travel Index 2026: same-sex intimacy is criminalized or actively repressed. Its legal safety component is 16/60. On enforcement reality, police or state harassment is documented.
Is same-sex marriage legal in Bangladesh?
No. Same-sex marriage is not legal in Bangladesh. Overall legal status: Criminalized.
Does Bangladesh have a gay scene?
GayOut currently lists no LGBTQ+ venues in Bangladesh, so any gay scene is limited, informal or not publicly documented.