A man who claims to be gay and fled Bangladesh to escape persecution had his asylum application denied by the UK after a judge accused him of attempting to impersonate a gay person.
Monsur Ahmed Chowdhury, 38, arrived in the UK on a student visa in 2009 from Sylhet, a city in northeastern Bangladesh, feeling he could never safely be his true self in his home country.
After several applications and rejections, a First-Tier Tribunal judge ruled against Monsur in March 2018, stating he did not believe he was genuinely gay.
In the ruling, the judge stated, “I conclude that the Appellant is not truly gay, but he is trying to pass himself off as gay.” He described homos*xuality as a “lifestyle” and noted a “distinct lack of documentary evidence” to suggest Monsur was openly gay prior to seeking asylum.
The judge further questioned why Monsur did not present anyone in court who could corroborate his behavior as a gay man, arguing that the evidence provided by his two witnesses did not directly address the central issue of his s*xual orientation. Monsur’s attendance at LGBTQ+ Pride events and nightclubs was deemed insufficient, and a photograph of him viewing same-s*x pornography was labeled as “staged.”
“There is clearly a strong desire on the part of the Appellant to present himself as a gay man, but I find that there is far too much fabrication and posturing, which undermines the fundamental credibility of the Appellant,” the judge concluded.
Following the ruling, Monsur reapplied for asylum through the Home Office, but his claim was rejected again in June, based on the previous ruling.
If his appeal fails, he could be forced to return to Bangladesh.
Monsur expressed his fears, stating, “Life in Bangladesh was very stressful and scary for me, especially because of my s*xuality. I couldn’t live openly as a gay man there—if anyone found out, my life would be in danger. While in Bangladesh, no one knew about my s*xuality. It wasn’t until I left and became active on social media that people became aware.”
He highlighted the dire situation for LGBTQ+ rights in Bangladesh, saying, “Being gay is not only socially unacceptable but also illegal.” Currently residing in London, he warned, “If I were sent back to Bangladesh now, my life would be at serious risk. Since my s*xuality is now publicly known due to my social media presence and activities, I could face violence or even be killed if I returned.”
