1. Human Rights of Sex Workers in
Bangladesh
(Special Focus on Doulatdia Brothel)
Submitted to:
Dr. Md. Akhratuzzaman
Associate Professor
Department of Law
Dhaka International University (DIU)
Conducted by:
Md. Shawkat Hossain
Roll No: 22, Reg. No: 250252
Batch: 10th, Session: 2010-2011
Master of Human Rights Law (MHRL)
Department of Law
Dhaka International University (DIU)
Research Monograph

2. Dhaka International University
(DIU)
DECLARATION
I declare that this report is my own unaided work. It is being submitted in partial
fulfillment of the degree of Master of Human Rights Law (MHRL) to the Dhaka
International University (DIU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. It has not been submitted before for
any degree or examination to any other University.
......................................
(Md. Shawkat Hossain)
13 July, 2012
2

3. ABSTRACT
There prevails deep-rooted social stigma against the Sex Workers and their children.
They are consciously discriminated by the society in various ways. The formal law
enforcers and the key persons of the society have always been malicious and unkind to
them (sex workers). Thereby thousands of Bangladeshi adolescent girls and women who
are irreversibly engaged in this act are deprived of enjoying basic human and social
rights.
Doulatdia brothel integrated different stakeholders and interest groups who are directly
financially benefited from the brothel other than the sex workers and their clients like
other brothels in Bangladesh. The situation, therefore, completely is depending on the
dynamics and interrelationship of all the groups. Comparing to the condition of the sex
workers of the country as a whole, the situation in Doulatdia brothel is not better from
human rights perspective.
The sex workers of the brothel are inception of under aged girls; economic oppression
and harassment; torture and abuse by local musclemen and Bariwalis; Chukri business
(very limited though); power abuse of the political leaders, local influential persons and
law enforcing agencies; poor health care support; drug abuse; very little or no access to
different public services are also existing in the brothel.
The sex workers of the brothel developed two organizations of their own and a few NGOs
are working to provide them with different services and to establish their rights.
Moreover, non-existence of political government, orchestrated the positive notion of
change in the lifestyle of the brothel dwellers.
The shortcomings to establish basic human rights of the sex workers, can only be reduced
by developing awareness regarding their rights and educating them to gain confidence on
their strength and ability through different training and awareness raising programs.
Support from all the relevant stakeholders and key players can be of very good assistance
in the process.
3

4. DEDICATION
To my friend Mr. Suman Krisna Sikder and Mr. Shaikh Giasuddin Ahmed.
4

5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My most profound gratitude goes to my Supervisor, Dr. Md. Akhratuzzaman, Associate
Professor, Department of Law, Dhaka International University (DIU) whose guidance
firstly made it possible for my proposal to be accepted by the Faculty of Law of Dhaka
International University. He made sense out of it and helped me to professionally shape it
to the final state. His critical comments provided a more valid perspective on thoughts,
ideas and arguments. The success of this study was made possible by his able leadership
and guidance.
I would also like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the Program Manager, Human
Rights Program of PIACT Bangladesh and the Chairperson of Aboheletho Mohila O
Shishu Unnayan Sangstha (AMOSUS), firstly for granting me the permission to use the
work of their organizations as my case studies and secondly for generously providing
information and literature that formed the core of this study. The support from all
Stakeholders of Doulatdia Brothel was so profound that it I can not avoid mentioning it. I
do not take for granted the time and effort put to edit this work by PIACT officials. It is
not easy to quantify the support and encouragement of my family. Words cannot fully
express my appreciation to all individual who have contributed to this study.
5

6. ABBREVIATIONS
AMOSUS Aboheletho Mohila O Shishu Unnayan Sangstha
CBO Community Based Organization
ECD Early Childhood Development
EPI Expanded Program on Immunization
HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus
MMS Mukti Mohila Samity
NGO Non-governmental organization
NID National Immunization Day
PIACT Program for the Introduction and Adaptation of Contraceptive Technology
REB Rural Electrification Board
STD Sexually transmitted diseases
SW Sex Worker
UNAIDS The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS
USAID United States Agency for International Development
VGD Vulnerable Group Development
VGF Vulnerable Group feeding
6

7. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page No
DECLARATION i
ABSTRACT ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv
DEDICATION v
ABBREVIATIONS vi
1
.
CHAPTER 1, INTRIODUCTION 1
2
.
CHAPTER 2, OBJECTIVE 2
3
.
CHAPTER 3, METHODOLOGY 2
3.1 Data Collection 3
3.2 Data Analysis & Report Writing 3
4
.
CHAPTER 4, LIMITATIONS 3
5
.
CHAPTER 5, FINDINGS 4
5.1 Social Acceptance 4
5.2 Control over Income 4
5.3 Oppression and Exploitation 5
5.4 Economic Oppression/Harassment 6
5.5 Safe Water and Sanitation 7
5.6 Inception of New/Under Aged Sex Workers 7
5.7 Role of Law Enforcing Agencies 9
5.8 Process of Affidavit 9
5.9. Process of Age Verification Certificate 10
5.10. Role and Attitude of the Local Government 10
5.11. Access to Public Services and Social Facilities 11
5.12. Education of the Children of Sex Workers 12
5.13. Primary Health Care And EPI for The Children of Sex Workers 13
5.14. Nutritional Status of Under 5 Children of Sex Workers 13
6 CONCLUSION 14-17
REFERENCES 18-19
ANNEXER 20-22
7

8. Chapter 1
1. INTRODUCTION
Prostitution or commercial sex work is an age-old profession. At the same time it is also
considered as the most hated or abhorrent means of livelihood. They are consciously
discriminated by the society in various ways, which do not have any legal entity.
The non-formal lawmakers within the society who hail high and esteemed position have
instituted some customs and conventions against the sex workers and their children which
are sinister to their human and social rights. The formal law enforcers and the key persons
of the society have always been malicious and unkind to them (sex workers). Thereby
thousands of Bangladeshi adolescent girls and women who are irreversibly engaged in
this act are deprived of enjoying basic human and social rights.
Sex work in Bangladesh has traditionally been brothel-based. The past decade has seen
the growth of newer typologies. Street-based was the first one to be identified. Hotel and
residence-based operations are more recent trends. The last two categories are more fluid
with some overlap between them. In fact, while there has been no increase in the numbers
in brothels, a growth has been seen in street-based, hotel-based and residence- based sex
work1
.
Sex work appears to be moving from institutionalized settings mediated by dalals
(pimps), brokers and sardarni (madams) to individualized operations, which have limited
intermediaries. Hotel Managers and pimps do play an intermediary role in several
settings, but women now do retain some autonomy and control over choice of customers
and over their earnings. Communication technologies like Internet and mobile
communication tend to strengthen the network between clients and sex workers in hotel
and residence-based sex work.
Hotel-based and residence-based sex workers are also largely partially hidden sex
workers, who may practice it on a part time basis. This commercial sex activity is
1
Sadhana Rout and Sanghamitra Iyengar Review Of Existing And Emerging Patterns Of
Sex Work In Bangladesh In The Context Of HIV And AIDS, A Study On Behalf Of
Regional Support Team, Asia And The Pacific, (UNAIDS, 2008)
8

9. changing contours and moving into difficult to reach areas, which escape HIV prevention
interventions.
Prostitution is a large concern in Bangladesh as well. The Bangladeshi sex industry has
been extended. It has been moving out from traditional brothels within the last decade,
because brothels have been closed and destroyed. The network of hotel prostitution and
freelancer prostitution has been increased. Freelance sex workers operate usually out of
hotels and private apartments. There are significant street prostitution services available
in Bangladesh, these sex workers are called floating sex workers. The main client groups
of the sex workers consist of transport workers, rickshaw pullers, students, polices and
dockworkers. There is also a large population of male sex workers and transgender, even
if homosexuality is illegal in Bangladesh. Estimated numbers of the sex workers vary
significantly. There are estimated to be something between 25,000 to 150,000 prostitutes
in Bangladesh. They are deeply despised by other citizens. Prostitution in Bangladesh has
never been illegal, but in 2000 the High Court ruled the profession to be official legal for
women over the age of 18 years. 2
Chapter 2
2. OBJECTIVES
The study was conducted to achieve a number of objectives. The major objectives of the
were:
 To assess and review the level of oppression, exploitation, violence and
discrimination against SWs in respect of financial, physical, environmental and social
and human rights aspects.
 To assess and review the access of SWs and their children to mainstream
opportunities (i.e. health care facilities; education of their children in formal school; water
and sanitation and food rationing, etc).
Chapter 3
3. METHODOLOGY
The study was conducted from May to June, 2012. However, data collected in different
span of time was also used, such as, a survey conducted on May, 2012.
The study had been accomplished as follows:
 Secondary Data Collection
2
Katja Harapainen, Sex workers in Bangladesh, Impact of RDRS organisation on the lives of
sex worker, Helsinki, autumn (2007).
9

10.  Data Collection
 Data Analysis and Report Writing
3.1 Data Collection
Data collection for the study was done in three phases.
Firstly, information and data derived from available existing studies and reports from
different authors.
Secondly, Data collection from different NGOs and CBOs working with sex workers in
Doulatdia brothel.
Thirdly and Finally, unstructured and in depth interviews were conducted with different
stakeholders of the brothel which include the sex workers, Bariwalis, leaders of sex
workers’ organizations, development professionals of different NGOs in and around the
brothel, trade union leaders, law and order enforcement agencies, religious leaders, school
teachers, lecturers of college, local journalists, shopkeepers, pharmacists, adjacent
villagers, etc. the interviews were conducted in different phases and in case of some of
the respondents, interviews were done repeatedly to gather more information from them.
3.2 Data Analysis & Report Writing
All the collected data were assimilated and analyzed to get a clear scenario of the brothel
that would help to achieve the objectives of this study.
Chapter 4
4. LIMITATIONS
The study had to be conducted under some adverse condition as a lot of interest groups
are beneficiaries of this sex business, directly or indirectly. Members of these interest
groups were suspicious regarding the findings from this study that may hinder their
financial and other benefits.
The issue and the community were also very sensitive. Our society is not very open in
discussing issues related to sex and sex workers and it was sometimes very difficult to
communicate with the respondents in same frequency. Sometimes it was difficult to get
the actual information from them as they always tried to protect their own interests in the
brothel.
The sex workers were actually, very busy during the day time as they had to get
customers and that had been their major source of earning. Sometimes, the interviews had
to be conducted in multiple sessions depending on their leisure period. It was also
10

11. difficult in number of cases to extract authentic information from the sex workers and
Bariwalis regarding their business and trade secrets. In most cases, information was cross
checked with different respondents and verified by information gathered from some other
stakeholders.
No political leaders were interviewed during the study. This is a major lacking of the
study. News and featured had been published in different news papers around the period
of the portraying the forms and intensity of oppressions and exploitations related with the
sex business in Doulatdia. That was the major reason for the political leaders to keep their
mouth completely shut regarding the issue.
Chapter 5
5. FINDINGS
5.1 Social Acceptance
The sex workers of all the brothels are trying to establish their basic human rights and one
of the major demands of them was to obtain the right of mobility. Sex workers of
Doulatdia brothel and their organization, Aboheletho Mohila O Shishu Unnayan Sangstha
also strived from the initiation of the organization for the rights of the free mobility of the
sex workers. Formerly, the sex workers of Doulatdia brothel could not get out of the
brothel wearing any dress other than Sharee and with no shoes. As a result, they were
marked all over to their destination. The shop keepers of the local market used to charge
them higher, the toll collectors of Doulatdia Ghat used to charge them 20% - 50% higher,
the transport workers used to harass them all over, etc. Moreover, they had to take a token
from the gatekeepers of the brothel for their mobility and had to pay charges up to Tk.
10,000/= is they stayed out of the brothel for more than one day.
5.2 Control over Income
Most of the sex workers in Doulatdia brothel are illiterate and hence, they are oppressed
by the Bariwalis and others very often. Formerly they had to pay additional money for
using electricity. They got electricity connection from the REB recently and do not have
to pay much higher than the regular consumers. They still have to pay a lot of money to
the Bariwalis as house rent, wash room charges, water charges, etc.
However, there are a number of sex workers in the brothel who do not have any type of
control over their income. The Bariwalis or their Babus or beloved persons take away all
their earnings.
11

12. 5.3 Oppression and Exploitation
Oppression and exploitation had become synonymous with the life of the sex workers.
First of all, most of them are introduced in this business forcefully. They are either
trafficked or sold or deceived by their near and dear ones or relatives or by fellow
villagers. Formerly, these simple and chaste girls with a little or no education had to be
initiated in the business as Chukris. Initiation of Chukris, however, has reduced over the
last few years, but still cases are found where the sex workers are treated as Chukris. The
local law enforcing agencies and local leaders get percentage from the Bariwalis. The
Bariwalis contact the local leaders as soon as they get any Chukri. The leaders along with
the Notary Publics, Law Enforcing Agencies and officials of Civil Surgeon Office
prepares necessary papers for those Chukris and let them do sex business in the brothel. It
is applicable with the minor (under aged) girls also. It is getting harder to work on this
particular issue as political government is in power and local political leaders are very
strongly positioned in the area.
Chukris and other sex workers are often tortured by the Bariwalis, Babus, local Mastans,
etc. The Bariwalis, involved in oppressing and torturing sex workers, have close
connection with local political leaders, Mastans and law enforcing agencies. That is why
it is very difficult to stop such oppressions. Children of the sex workers (especially, the
boys) themselves are involved in most of such cases of oppressions. They along with
other political and local Mastans take on the sex workers with various undue demands.
They often force the comparatively good looking and young sex workers to make love
with them without their consent and even beat them if refused. Moreover in most of such
cases, they do not even pay the sex worker at all.
Many of the sex workers are forced to take drugs. Mainly, the new sex workers or the
minor girls are initially forced in this addiction and controlled by the Bariwalis. In some
cases, newly introduced girls do not want to entertain customers. Then they are drugged
and forced to entertain the customers. This case is found in case of trafficked of deceived
girls. Another kind of abuse is found inside the brothel through drugs like Oradixon.
Basically the under aged and skinny girls are either forced or encouraged to take this kind
of drug as it helps them to become healthier and thus look more matured and good
looking. Sometimes they are also forced to take drugs like Yaba to entertain the
customers for a long time.
Sex workers are often harassed by the local people as there is no boundary wall for the
brothel. The local land owners do not want to build boundary walls for the brothel as they
can expand the area. There are some ponds and ditches around the brothel. The land
12

13. owners own them. They collect certain amount of money from the sex workers for
disposal of daily wastes. This is one of the reasons for not allowing the local government
authority to build the boundary wall.
5.4 Economic Oppression/Harassment
The Bariwalis oppress the sex workers a lot. They take undue rent from them. The law
enforcing authority has earlier fixed rent as Tk. 15/= per day. But the Bariwalis take
minimum Tk. 50/= per day from each sex worker. After the meeting held in the Police
Station, the sex workers themselves decided to pay rent of Tk. 50/= per day. Some of the
Bariwalis charge a lot of money from the sex workers. They take upto Tk. 400/= per day
as rent and additional money for using toilet, tube well and other facilities.
In most cases, the sex workers are initiated by the Bariwalis or pimps. The inception
process requires some expenditure, amounting from Tk. 2,000/= to Tk. 5,000/=. In most
cases, the new girls are brought in the brothel as penniless. The Bariwalis further invest
on the sex workers in the form of buying clothes, ornaments, utensils, make over
cosmetics, etc. In return, they charge more amount than they spent from the sex workers
and grant that (Tk. 5,000/= to Tk. 15,000/=, which also higher by two to five times) as
loan. In case of loan refund, they oppress the sex workers and their tenants a lot as most
of the sex workers are illiterate. Moreover, most of the sex workers do not oppose to this
kind of harassment as they do not have any place to go to and the Bariwalis are very
powerful within the area.
The local shop keepers charge higher to the sex workers for their daily commodities.
They often sell products in credit and charge high rate of interest (10% per month) against
the credited amount. The jewelers, tailors and cloth merchants in and around the brothel
behave similarly as well. Thus the loans of the sex workers increase in compound rate and
they can never get out of their loans within their life time.
Sex workers are further oppressed in the name of conflict mitigation. Whenever any
conflict is developed among the sex workers, the dominant Bariwalis and the local leaders
along with the members of law enforcing agencies get themselves involved in the issue
and come forward to mitigate the situation. They usually charge high amount from both
the parties as fine and force them to pay the amount.
13

14. 5.5 Safe Water and Sanitation
Use of sanitary latrines amongst the sex workers of Doulatdia brothel is almost 73%. 185
households out of a total of 254 households possess sanitary latrines. 55 household have
kaccha latrines while 13 of the households do not have any toilet facilities.
In most of the cases, the sex workers do not get a sanitary latrine for personal use. They
have to share latrines with others of the house. Even the customers also use the same
latrine. It is very unhygienic to use kaccha latrine while there is every possibility of
different types of urinary infection and other types of infectious diseases.
Almost 93% of the households have tube wells. But 30 out of a total of 237 households
with tube wells do not have brick built base. 12 households do not have any tube wells
and thus have to depend on neighboring houses for water while 12 households (4.7%)
with 62 rooms neither have any tube well nor have any toilet facilities.
5.6 Inception of New/Under Aged Sex Workers
A girl can not walk in the brothel and declare that she wants to do sex business. She has
to go through a series of “rituals” to be incepted in the sex business. They need a license
and some papers like affidavit from a Notary Public and in rare cases, Age Verification
Certificate to be initiated in the brothel.
Girls are not produced in the Magistrate Court while applying for their license. This is
done through local leaders and a huge amount of money is transacted through this
activity. They are not produced in the Thana while listing for this profession also. The
whole process costs a lot of money to the sex workers. Apparently, they are supported by
the Bariwalis by providing them with loans for those costs. But in the long run, they can
not eventually, get out the debts within a short time as most of them are illiterates and do
not know how to calculate.
The local law enforcing authorities do not take measures to rescue minor (under aged)
girls from the brothel as they are benefited with certain percentage of money generated
from this business. Local leaders and a group of Bariwalis are involved in such activities.
They usually keep the minor girls out of the brothel initially for a few days. In the
meanwhile, they get the necessary papers done from the Notary Public, Civil Surgeon
Office and local Police Station with the help of a group of political and influential local
leaders. After the papers are ready, they bring in those girls inside the brothel and start
doing business using them. The new sex workers are not produced in the Magistrate
Court while applying for their license. This is done through local leaders and a huge
amount of money is transacted through this activity. They are not produced in the Thana
14

15. while listing for this profession also. Inclusion of minor girls is the effect of these
malpractices and thus it can not be protected. Such minor girls can not be rescued either
because of the influences of this racket as they are highly benefited through such crimes.
The sex workers have a tendency of bringing their daughters into the profession. They
usually can not make savings as they are used to with lavish life while they can earn a lot
of money. That makes them very uncertain regarding their old age life. That is why they
try to secure their future through the earnings of their daughters. Most of the children of
the sex workers are getting back to the brothel after spending some years in safe homes.
These girls are not getting any opportunity of employment nor can they get married due
to the identity of their mothers. In most cases these girls are getting in the profession to
secure the economic aspects of their mothers. Most of the sex workers are interested to
involve their daughters in sex business for the security of their old age. This is applicable
for the girls, staying outside brothel also.
The local people are doing business with the sex workers and are getting involved in the
business more day by day. They are buying house inside the brothel and doing business.
This has become a profitable and popular mean of earnings for the local people. The sex
workers are not availing themselves with rehabilitation facilities. They are rather
interested to expand their business in the brothel. They buy and build houses outside the
brothel and giving the house inside the brothel for rent to sex workers. The sex workers
are mainly harassed and oppressed by local leaders and Mastans. Whenever any Bariwali
keeps a minor girl in her house, she has to pay a handsome amount of money to these
Mastans.
5.7 Role of Law Enforcing Agencies
Law enforcing agencies play a vital role in the life of the sex workers in Doulatdia brothel
along with the local political leaders and Mastans. During the Caretaker Government, the
role of the political leaders were very naïve and the law enforcing agencies played a
positive role to protect the sex workers from various oppressions and exploitation. But
after the General Election of December, 2008, the situation deteriorated a lot. The
political leaders have taken control over all type of criminal acts and undue business. The
power of those leaders is so high that the members of the law enforcing agencies have to
support those activities. Moreover, they are financially benefited by overlooking most of
the criminal offences. The present Officer in Charge of Doulatdia Police Station tried to
take control over the criminal acts, but could not do so due to the political linkage of the
local leaders and Mastans with national level policy makers.
15

16. 5.8 Process of Affidavit
Affidavits are basically declaration by any person made in front of a Notary Public.
Ideally, the person declaring something should be present in person before the Notary
Public and a lawyer who prepares the documents. This declaration is generally made on a
Judicial Stamp Paper. In case of the sex workers to get involved in sex business, a similar
affidavit is required where they declare that they had decided to get in the sex business on
their own decision and that they are adults and had taken the decision without any
influence or persuasion of any other person.
In practice, whenever a sex worker is introduced in the brothel, the concerned Bariwali
contacts with the local leaders or a lawyer who takes a photograph of the girl and
produces it to the Notary Public and gets the affidavit on a Judicial Stamp paper worth
Tk. 150/=. Notary Publics do not get a chance to meet the girl and in most cases, even the
lawyer and the middle man do not get a chance to meet the girl while processing for the
affidavit. So, all the trafficked, deceived and under aged girls are also provided with
affidavit in the process. However, an Age Verification Certificate provided by the Civil
Surgeon Office is also produced before the Notary Public to prove the age of the
interested girl. According to the Notary Publics, they have nothing to do whenever a case
with Age Verification Certificate is produced before them. But, they do not verify
whether the girls are trafficked, or deceived or sold without their consent. In practice, the
Age Verification Certificate is not collected and hence, producing it before the Notary
Public is out of question.
5.9. Process of Age Verification Certificate
An Age Verification Certificate is required for verifying a sex worker whether she is an
adult or not while inception in sex business. Usually, the Civil Surgeon or any qualified
physician under the office of the Civil Surgeon is responsible to provide the certificate
after examining the subject (girl who wants to get into the sex trade). In practice, the girl
is not produced before the Civil Surgeon or any qualified physician under the office of the
Civil Surgeon, rather, the local leaders or the pimps or the Bariwalis get such certificates
issued from the office of the Civil Surgeon. The Bariwalis have to pay the local leaders /
middleman an amount of Tk. 8,000/= to Tk. 10,000/=. Use of Age Verification Certificate
is very rare in this brothel.
16

17. 5.10. Role and Attitude of the Local Government
Upozilla Chairman is the administrative chief of the local government body. This body is
responsible for different types of public facilities and services like Old Age Allowance,
VGD, VGF, drainage system, sanitation system, roads and paths, etc. There was a time
when there were no public facilities available for the sex workers at Doulatdia brothel.
The paths were muddy all the time; there was no drainage system in place and as a result,
trespassing was difficult especially, during the rainy season.
The local government authority developed the pathways of the main entrance and
constructed drains in the middle of the pathways. As a result, the drains create problem
for the trespassers to pass through the paths and also the drains remain always filled up
with wastes. There is no specific way out of the wastes of the drains and thus the area
remains smelly all the time. Moreover, during heavy rain, the drains are over flooded and
the paths are plastered with the wastes.
There is no visible change in allocating the services like Old Age Allowance, VGD, VGF,
etc. from the local government despite being declared by the Upazilla Chairman for
prioritizing the brothel dwellers with extra benefits in terms of public services in different
meetings with the sex workers’ organizations.
5.11. Access to Public Services and Social Facilities
The drainage system of the brothel is not hygienic. The water can not get out of the area
in a systematic way. It has to be cleaned manually, by the sweepers. But most of the
Bariwalis are not interested to pay for the sweepers. Whatever drainage system is present
in the brothel does not cover the whole area. In fact, maximum part is left out of the
drainage system. The slabs of the drains are mostly broken or damaged. Thus it becomes
risky to walk on the bamboo / wood made covers of the drains.
Pathways inside the brothel are basically soil built. AMOSUS took initiatives to make the
ways pucca with drains with the help of local government authorities. But only a few of
the pathways had been built in that manner, causing very muddy and sticky situation
during the rainy season. Actually, the pathways become incommunicable while muddy.
Also it is very risky to walk through them. Though a few of the ways had been rebuilt, the
current situation is very bad. In most of the cases, the drains of those roads are not well
covered. Covers were built with bamboo or thin wood in many places, but they are also
not very strong and there is every possibility of breaking them up any time.
Sex workers in Bangladesh do not usually enjoy the luxury of having separate grave yards
for them to get buried in. a very few brothels managed to get graveyards for them.
17

18. Doulotdia brothel is one of those luckier brothels. But, the graveyard needs a very good
maintenance. There is no boundary wall for the graveyard, causing its erosion due to rain
and floods. The level of the graveyard is also needed to be raised; otherwise, it becomes
submerged under water after a heavy rainfall and most of the time during rainy season.
The sex workers do not get Janaja after their death as there is no Imam for them. One of
the sex workers had to be buried without Janaja when the local Imam was absent.
There is no qualified doctor to treat the sex workers as the nearest Health Complex is 6
Kilometers away from the brothel. The brothel is surrounded with 40 Pharmacies with no
qualified doctor. The medical support system for the brothel is also absent. There is huge
misuse of drugs, both by the sex workers and the Pharmacies. A lot of ownerless dogs are
found in and around the brothel now-a-days. There is a possibility of these dogs being
infected by Rabies which is very dangerous for the inhabitants of the locality. It can
initiate a serious health crisis in the area.
There is a serious environmental hazard in and around the brothel. The sex workers dump
their wastes in the ponds in and around the brothel where a lot of fishes are cultivated and
those fishes are sold in the market. In this process, the consumers of these items are in a
risk of becoming sick. Moreover, it is a serious threat to the environment as there is every
possibility of spreading different types of infectious and water borne diseases in the
locality.
5.12. Education of the Children of Sex Workers
There are 631 children of the Sex Workers (within the age range of 18 years) living inside
the brothel (children outside the brothel or living abroad have not been counted for this
analysis). 281 of them are in different types of educational institutes or in touch with
education in some form. 36 of them are in the Early Childhood Development (ECD)
Centers and/or Safe Homes, 167 are ing in Primary Schools while 73 and 6 of them are in
High Schools and Colleges respectively. However, 32 of them are involved in different
income generating activities (Commercial Sex Workers – 11, Worker – 11, Business – 5,
Tailor – 2, Driver – 2 and Rickshaw puller – 1). 3 autistic children are also found in the
brothel.
153 children are below the age of 4 years. In total 349 children are not related with
education. 317 children amongst them are not involved in any other profession as well.
18

19. 5.13. Primary Health Care and EPI for the Children of Sex Workers
Primary health care for the children of the sex workers is neglected to the most.
Generally, they are taken to the quack pharmacists in and around the brothel. In some
complicated cases, children are taken to the Dargah of “Egaro Sharif” (locally believed
spiritual sacred place). Rarely, they are taken to tertiary or specialized hospitals for
treatment. The nearest Government health facility is at least 6 kilometers away (Upozilla
Health Complex) from the brothel.
The children are however, provided with EPI (Expanded Program on Immunization)
facilities through the NGOs working in the locality. This EPI is delivered during the
National Immunization Days (NID). The coverage of this EPI is not 100% though. The
sex workers themselves are not fully aware of the need for immunization for their
children. They are almost always busy with their own business and only concerned over
their children when they are seriously sick.
5.14. Nutritional Status of Under 5 Children of Sex Workers
There are around 200 children of the sex workers between 3 – 5 years of age. 180 of them
are enrolled in the Early Childhood Development Center of MMS. MMS supplies food
supplement in the morning. They feed the children with bananas, eggs, biscuits, cakes,
etc. but that is not sufficient for the whole day. Most of the times, they live with their
mothers and take meals with them. As the sex workers are habituated in spicy and rich
food, the nutritional aspect is often overlooked in the process.
Children under 3 years of age are usually kept outside the brothel. Mothers of such
children pay for their food and rearing by mainly the aged sex workers. These children
are not often taken very good care and the nutritional status of these children is very poor.
A lot of children within this age limit die due to malnutrition and negligence. Two
children were found in the brothel who became physically disabled due to malnutrition.
The scenario differs in the cases where such children are reared by their grandmothers or
very close relatives.
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20. Chapter 6
6. CONCLUSION
Sex work, though, not established as a formal occupation, has a long history and is
expected to be “alive” for another long time. Existence of the sex workers are reality and
the society has to accept it, despite having stigma regarding the profession. The existing
social and economic system has developed and is patronizing this professional group for
various social and economic benefits. Moreover, as citizens of the country, the sex
workers should enjoy the basic human rights like the other members of the society. But
the situation is not that ideal, rather, this is reverse in most cases.
Condition of the sex workers of Doulatdia brothel was explored through reviewing
relevant documents, reports and data gathered through in depth interviews of different
stakeholders during the months of May and June, 2012. Following are the findings in
brief based on the objectives of the study :
 The sex workers of Doulatdia brothel enjoy the freedom of mobility, but due to the
long practice of attracting customers, they can not give up their former behavior and
dressing pattern which is developing a tension in the locality.
 Almost 70% (around 1000) of the sex workers are involved with savings program
with MMS (Mukti Mohila Samity) and AMOSUS (Aboheletho Mohila O Shishu
Unnayan Sangstha). They save and withdraw money whenever they require and can
spend them on their own. Around 4% (around 60) of them save money with both the
organizations. However, about 30% of sex workers in the brothel who do not have
any type of control over their income. The Bariwalis or their Babus or beloved
persons take away all their earnings.
 Oppression and exploitation had become synonymous with the life of the sex workers.
They are tortured and harassed once they are in the brothel – from inception till death
– by the Bariwalis, Babus, local musclemen, political leaders, law enforcing agencies,
etc. Drug abuse is another mean of oppression, especially, the new sex workers or the
minor girls are initially forced in this addiction and controlled by the Bariwalis.
 Bariwalis and their companions start to oppress the sex workers since their inception
in the brothel. They bear all the expenses of the sex workers since most of them enter
the brothel empty handed. These expenses are charged as loan after being multiplied
by two to five times and in the process the sex workers can not get out of debt in their
entire life as they are mostly illiterate and cannot keep the accounts of their loan.
 The Self Help Group of the Sex Workers of Doultadia Brothel, “Aboheletho Mohila
O Shishu Unnayan Sangstha”, formed in 2004 is on the process of developing into an
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21. independent organization. But the organization is in right track of developing into a
platform for the oppressed and exploited sex workers.
 Almost 185 of the total 254 households of the brothel have sanitary latrines while 55
households have kaccha latrines and 13 not having any toilet facilities. 212
households have tube well facilities while 12 do not have any tube well and have to
depend on the neighboring households for water. 12 households of the brothel with 62
rooms neither have any tube well nor have any toilet facilities.
 Inception of new girls into the brothel as sex worker is controlled by the local leaders
including the influential Bariwalis, political leaders, local influential persons, etc.
They take a handsome amount of money to perform the task. Usually, the money is
spent by the Bariwali under whom the girl wants to stay and the amount of money if
charged as loan for the girl. Under aged girls and Chukri system are declining but
there is a chance of flourishing during the political regime. A huge amount of money
is generated from the brothel every day and thus it attracts the local people to get
involved with the business which include the old sex workers as well.
 Law enforcing agencies are acting as instructed by the political leaders and local
elites. They are financially benefited through the criminal acts and undue business in
the brothel. They play a vital role in the process of inception of a new girl as sex
worker, especially, in case of the under aged and deceived ones.
 A girl has no make a declaration before entering into sex business. This is generally
done before a Notary Public and hence it is called an Affidavit. But in practice, the
girl is not produced to get an affidavit. Rather, the Bariwalis, Pimps, local leaders and
lawyers prepare the paper by themselves. However, the Notary Publics and the
lawyers of Rajbari Bar Association declared in a recent meeting to protect deceived
and under aged girls from getting affidavit. Aboheletho Mohila O Shishu Unnayan
Sangstha is arranging regular meetings with them in this regard.
 A girl should be an adult to get into sex business. She can be verified by a doctor and
in some cases, age verification certificate is required. Similar to the process of
affidavit, the interest groups arrange the certificate by themselves and the price is very
high and the certificate is rarely taken from the Civil Surgeon Office.
 The local government body is responsible for ensuring different public facilities and
services like Old Age Allowance, VGD, VGF, drainage system, sanitation system,
roads and paths, etc. The local government authority developed the pathways of the
main entrance and constructed drains in the middle of the pathways. But there is no
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22. visible change in allocating the services like Old Age Allowance, VGD, VGF, etc.
from the local government despite being declared by the Upazilla Chairman.
 The drainage system of the brothel is not hygienic. Whatever drainage system is
present in the brothel does not cover the whole area. Though a few of the ways had
been rebuilt, the current situation is very bad. In most of the cases, the drains of those
roads are not well covered. There is no qualified doctor to treat the sex workers as the
nearest Health Complex is 6 Kilometers away from the brothel. There is a serious
environmental hazard in and around the brothel. The sex workers dump their wastes
in the ponds in and around the brothel where a lot of fishes are cultivated. However,
Doulatdia is one of the luckiest brothels to possess a separate graveyard for the sex
workers.
 501 out of about 750 children of the sex workers are in different types of educational
institutes. 208 of them are going in Primary Schools while 188, 95 and 10 of them are
in ECD Centers, High Schools and Colleges respectively. Almost 250 children are not
related with education. Around 70 children amongst them are not involved in any
other profession as well.
 Primary health care for the children of the sex workers is neglected to the most.
Generally, they are taken to the quack pharmacists in and around the brothel. In some
complicated cases, children are taken to the Dargah of “Egaro Sharif” (locally
believed spiritual sacred place). They are, however, provided with EPI (Expanded
Program on Immunization) facilities through the NGOs working in the locality.
 There are around 200 children of the sex workers between 3 – 5 years of age. 180 of
them are enrolled in the Early Childhood Development Center of MMS. MMS
supplies food supplement in the morning. Children under 3 years of age are usually
kept outside the brothel. These children are not often taken very good care and the
nutritional status of these children is very poor. A lot of children within this age limit
die due to malnutrition and negligence. However, the scenario differs in the cases
where such children are reared by their grandmothers or very close relatives.
 Despite the above scenario, the sex workers of the brothel developed two
organizations of their own. These shortcomings to establish basic human rights of the
sex workers, can only be reduced by developing awareness regarding their rights and
educating them to gain confidence on their strength and ability through different
training and awareness raising programs. Support from all the relevant stakeholders
and key players can be of very good assistance in the process. However, the Self Help
Group titled, “Aboheletho Mohila O Shishu Unnayan Sangstha” (AMOSUS) have
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23. launched Rights Based Education and Life Skill Training program to educate the sex
workers regarding their rights and raise awareness on various issues which are vital in
their lives. Hopefully, this program will have significant effect on establishing the
basic human rights of the dwellers of Doulatdia brothel and in the long run, of all the
sex workers of the country.
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