UN to assist Bangladesh to rehabilitate sex workers

Junayed Shishir: The United Nations is keen to assist Bangladesh in rehabilitating the sex workers who have recently been evicted from their separate brothels in Tangail and Madaripur.

 

The authorities concerned of the United Nations have sent a letter to the Ministry of Social Welfare in the country in this regard.

 

In the letter the UN says, “If the sex workers can not be rehabilitated in the country, the social misdeed may be raised and the risk of AIDS may increase in an alarming rate.”

 

“Besides, the International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP)-2015 which is scheduled to be held in Dhaka will be affected if the sex workers can not be rehabilitated in the country,” The UN letters also read.

 

The tow pages letter that was sent to the Ministry on August 18, also wrote, “Bangladesh has a great achievement for developing the country’s women and children but their achievement may be failed if the government will unable to ensure proper rehabilitation of the sex workers.”

 

The UN said, nearly 900 sex workers had been evicted from their brothels in Tangail and Madaripur area of the country.

 

“It is a great threat to the society and culture in Bangladesh,” said UN adding that the UN was interested to assist Bangladesh in its short and long term projects in rehabilitating the sex workers.

 

Sex workers who were evicted from a brothel in Tangail, along with sex workers who were similarly evicted a year ago in Madaripur, demanded the right to return to their homes during different protest organized by the Sex Workers Network (SWN) of Bangladesh.

 

On August 27, 2013, the local people had evicted sex workers from Puran Bazar area in Madaripur town in presence of police.

 

Earlier on July 12, around 1500 house owners including 600 sex workers were evicted from Kandapara brothel in Tangail town by the supporters of the Osamajik Karjokolap Protirodh Committee (Body to resist anti-social activities) patronised by several local Awami League (AL) leaders.

 

risingbd/ DHAKA/ Nov 10, 2014/ Mahfuz