15 jul 2023
The Sad History Of Bangladesh prostitute villages | Documentary
In a place called Kandapara, this photograph captures the stark reality of a community ensnared in the harsh grip of prostitution. Here, more than 1,000 women reside, their lives entangled in a relentless cycle of serving clients. In this area, prostitution is deemed legal, while the act of abortion remains forbidden. The village has earned the somber title of the “Village of Prostitutes,” where countless children grow up burdened by the weight of their uncertain paternity.
For these children, the knowledge that awaits them at the tender age of nine is a future inherited from their mothers—a life marred by dependency on medication, vulnerability to diseases, and a persistent struggle against poverty. The community itself comprises over 600 interconnected rooms, each providing shelter for the sex workers who labor within its confines. The plight of these women has attracted the attention of journalists, both local and international, who have ventured into Kandapara to expose the tragic reality that unfolds here.
One such exposé came from The Guardian, a British newspaper, which aired a documentary unmasking the lives of these prostitutes and bringing their plight to the forefront of global consciousness. However, despite the efforts to shed light on their circumstances, the authorities in Bangladesh hold a different perspective. In March 2000, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh made a decision that legalized sex work within the boundaries of Kandapara. This legal recognition led to rapid development in the village, propelling it to become one of the largest government-acknowledged brothel areas among the 20 designated villages.
Within the confines of these brothels, sex workers are obligated to obtain licenses, and clients engage in prostitution under the purview of the law. However, it is important to distinguish between the legality of the profession itself and the process by which individuals become sex workers. Investigations from various countries have revealed distressing evidence that a significant majority of the prostitutes in Kandapara have been trafficked or forcibly taken from their homes, often originating from neighboring countries like Nepal, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Shockingly, some are even sold into this life by their own parents, a heartbreaking betrayal.
Harsh Chauhan
5 jaar geleden