Hi I’m Tashnuva Anan

I made my groundbreaking film debut in Bangladesh with the mainstream feature Koshai, directed by Anonno Mamun. As the first openly transgender actress to star in a major Bangladeshi film, this role marked a historic moment not only in my personal journey but also in the evolution of South Asian cinema. Koshai challenged societal norms and opened up space for marginalized narratives to be seen and heard on the big screen. Being part of this project was more than just acting it was a statement of visibility, resilience, and hope for future generations of queer and trans artists.

Selected Short Film

WHO KILLED TANIYA! ‧ Thriller/Mystery

I’m honored to star in the upcoming short film “Who Killed Taniya?”, directed by the visionary Rasel Ahmed. This U.S. based project is a powerful exploration of identity, resistance, and the brutal silencing of marginalized voices centered around the mysterious death of a drag queen named Taniya. Through this film, we confront the intersections of gender, migration, and systemic violence with raw honesty and poetic imagery. It’s a story that feels urgent and deeply personal, and I’m proud to bring Taniya’s spirit to life as a tribute to all those whose truths remain unheard.

Writer

“Parikh” [Lover] by Tashnuva Anan

Parikh meaning “lover” is not just the title of my first book of poetry, it is the soul of every breath I’ve ever dared to take in defiance of silence. This collection is a quiet scream, a soft resistance, and a sacred celebration of longing, identity, and survival.
Born from the margins and written in moments of solitude, Parikh holds stories I never thought I’d be brave enough to share. These are not just poems; they are fragments of memory, exile, ache, and desire woven in the language of a Bangladeshi trans woman who has witnessed the world’s harshness and still believes in the tenderness of love.

Writing Parikh was an act of reclaiming voice. It emerged while I was caught between countries, languages, and selves navigating the fluid borders between womanhood and belonging, body and spirit, visibility and erasure. Every line bears witness to the cost of being true to oneself and the fragile joy of finding resonance in words.

This book is for those who have been denied the right to name their pain. It is for the broken-hearted, the hopeful, the outcast, and the dreamer. It is for anyone who has ever loved in a world that said they shouldn’t.

Parikh is not just a book. It is a beginning a mirror, a wound, and a home.

Upcoming Books

• Roshni – Fiction.
• Rongmohol- Autobiography

My activism is deeply rooted in the lived realities of transgender and other marginalized communities in Bangladesh, while also extending to global advocacy platforms. Over the years, I have worked to challenge systemic violence, social stigma, and institutional exclusion through a blend of grassroots engagement, mental health advocacy, and creative storytelling. As the Chair of the Trans Steering Committee, I’ve had the opportunity to shape international dialogues on trans rights, centering the voices of those too often pushed to the margins. From the streets of Dhaka to global stages, I remain committed to fighting for justice, dignity, and equity for trans people, sex workers, and other historically oppressed communities across South Asia and beyond.

When the world unites on a common ground to help the poor and the needy, minorities and vulnerable groups of the society are somehow left out of the discussion. And this is what hit me very hard.

And so, members of the cultural society i belongs to arranged for community-based welfare programmes for the poor and the needy during Covid-19, and I had been actively involved with the social work.