There are about one and a half thousand sex workers in Rajbari's Daulatdia sex village. They have about 600 children. These children grow up in extreme discrimination, disrespect and abuse. Many children who are deprived of education get involved in drugs or their mother's profession. Senior reporter of Jago News about the problems and sufferings of the children of Vishnakalli Yasir Arafat Ripon A four-part series of reports is available today last episode।
Almost everyone has jealousy at a young age. There is a strong desire to do great things with hobbies. However, with age, the previous passion is lost. At some point, people become depressed and lose their appetite.
A similar image is from Daulatdia Vishnapalli of Goaland upazila of Rajbari. The worker here who once stood in the queue to attract customers or in front of his house attractively, as he gets older, a horrible picture emerges.
Many people conceive children through intentional or unintentional intercourse. Can't match customers, stop earning money and work in different shops or food hotels. Many are forced to take loans to provide two handfuls of rice or to buy medicine. There are also incidents of selling one's own children to pay off debts. With a success story or two, almost a hundred percent of workers have to opt for begging at a later age. There are also many gossips. Due to lack of adequate funding by public and private organizations, the end of 'colourful' life becomes very tragic. Recently, these images have come up in the search of Jago News.
'This is our life. One time colorful maybe, the last time alms bag. Everyone who was my age had the same situation as me.'-Firoza Begum (pseudonym)
Begging at a late age
Talked to Razia (pseudonym) in Daulatdia Ferighat area. He is in his fifties. At one time, he earned money with both hands from the sexual intercourse. One time his body became weak due to illness. As there are no customers, the food and drinks are running on the accumulated money. At one time, he kept himself attractive by taking fat refreshing medicine, and even got clients for a while. But it did not last. Now his main occupation is begging.
Razia told Jago News, 'I didn't look back for a while, I didn't even think about the future. Earned money, ate. I drove Babu (boyfriend) with that money. Now I have no money, no baby. There is no income because there are no customers. But the stomach did not stop, he had to be fed. I also eat bidi-cigarettes, where will I get the money? So I was forced to beg even if I didn't want to. Now turn to the ghat area, which is earned by the day. I went out again for the next day.'
Same situation with Feroza Begum (pseudonym). At one time, he was walking in the village with power, he did not lack customers. In his last age he also took up alms as a profession.
Feroza told Jago News, 'This is our life. One time colorful maybe, the last time alms bag. Everyone who was my age had the same situation as me.'
Why is this situation? What did the savings do? In response, Feroza said, 'I raised my two daughters. They have some (up to primary) education. Then they also returned to the profession. I have gone with their money. Later they got Babu, instead of giving money to me, they gave all the money to Babu. A girl is destitute and the father takes money, loves for self-interest.'
Apart from education, girls should be provided with various types of technical training from an early age. We are trying to do that. We don't want our next generation to be in this profession. But due to lack of money, it is not happening.'- Farida Parveen, President of Indigent Women and Children Development Organization.
Need training and financial support
Social organization Payakt Bangladesh, Karmajeevi Kalyan Sansthan, Gonoshathya, Shapla, Mukti Mahila Samity, Helpless Women and Child Development Organization, Helpless Women's Unity Organization and Hub Bangladesh are working on health, education and safe housing in Daulatdia. They sometimes provide financial and relief assistance to village women and children but it is very less than the need. Social workers said that it is possible for women to spend their last years well if they get government and private support.
According to sex workers, local house owners and NGO sources, there are currently around 1500 sex workers in Daulatdia sex village. And there are about 200 retired sex workers. About 350 people are in this profession holding the hand of their mother. There are as many as 20 child sex workers under the age of 18 in the village. There are 280 houses in Palli area, and about 600 children.
Local journalist and social activist Sheikh Rajib told Jago News, 'Baburs are taking all the money of village girls, leaving them destitute. When the money and income decreases, fathers take other girls or relegate the children to the mother's profession. He did it for money. At one point the father left them (mother and daughter). Sex workers are made aware about this but they do not listen to anyone. Non-governmental organizations are working, but good results are not coming.'
Helpless women and children development organization is providing financial benefits and awareness work in the village. It is the sex workers' own organization. Its president Farida Parveen told Jago News, 'Girls should be provided with various types of technical training in addition to their studies. We are trying to do that. We don't want our next generation to be in this profession. But it is not happening due to lack of money. The assistance received through some organizations is very little. If the awareness program is organized again, the women here will have to provide food and money. If they don't do it, they don't want to leave work. But all this requires money, which we don't have.'
'If one woman gets HID, many people are at risk of getting it. In case of pregnancy, the unborn child is also affected. That's why he has to be treated.'- Public health expert Dr. Lelin Chowdhury
In sex work despite having AIDS
A 37-year-old woman from Vangipalli has been diagnosed as HIV positive. After that, with the help of the non-governmental organization 'Piact Bangladesh', all the expenses of the woman's treatment were being borne at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in the capital. But the woman does not want to go to Dhaka again for treatment. He is not listening to the social organizations even though he has been made aware of this. Socializing with customers from behind.
Farida Parveen, chairperson of Helpless Women and Children Development Organization, said, 'We have been explaining to him again and again. Going to him, helping as much as possible. But we are not getting any help here either. Apart from this, free health care is being given to village girls.
Daulatdia Ghat branch manager of 'Piact Bangladesh', Mojibur Rahman told Jewel Jago News, 'We have taken the girl to Dhaka several times after explaining a lot. I arranged for his treatment. But he is not contacting now, he is not coming even when we contact him. Even in this condition, it is very dangerous for the girl to be in the sex profession. We are trying to get him safely away for treatment. Although it is expensive, society, government and various organizations should come forward in this case.'
Public health expert Dr. Lelin Chowdhury told Jago News, 'Sexual places are dangerous for sexually transmitted diseases. For this, the health care of the employees must be ensured. In some countries, health care is also provided along with the approval of this temple, which is organized by the state. If a woman gets HID, many people are at risk of getting it. In case of pregnancy, the unborn child is also affected. That's why he needs to be treated.'
How can a girl live if her money goes to someone else (Babu)? He has no customers, no income, no support. In this situation, many people are forced to give up the illusion of the child and sell it
Selling children in debt trap
Sources related to sex village say that almost 90 percent of the girls living in the village are involved with some kind of drugs. Even if they earn, a part of it goes to drugs. Their father is taking the rest of the money. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, when the child is miscarried in the womb, girls face both crises. After three months of conception, the client stopped coming. Then he had to face extreme financial crisis to meet the expenses of food, medicine and house rent. Then the loan started. Food hotels, grocery and drug stores and house rents are due. At one point there is no money for a surgical or natural delivery. In this situation, the women of the village were forced to sell their children.
There are also syndicates here. Brokers are active in trapping pregnant women in debt. Even though there is free treatment in the village, brokers encourage them to seek treatment outside. If any major treatment is needed, they are taken to the private hospitals of Magura instead of being taken to the nearby Faridpur Medical College Hospital. The medicine shops built next to the village are connected with it. Talked to the drug store about this, but they denied it.
In this regard, a village worker told Jago News, 'How can a girl live if her money goes to someone else (Babu)? He has no customers, no income, no support. In this situation, many people are forced to give up their children and sell them.'
Nilufa Yasmin, a health worker of the private organization 'Sukhpakhi Center', which provides free services in Daulatdia sex village, told Jago News, 'We provide free treatment to every girl in the village. When a girl comes here, we give her blood test, blood pressure check and basic test and give medicine. But outsiders give wrong idea to village girls. Giving high doses of antibiotics outside. It cures minor diseases. However, they do not want to understand the terrible damage that is caused by it. A large portion of women's income often goes towards medical treatment. On the other hand, they are getting poor treatment in the clutches of brokers. Being aware is not working here.'
Like ordinary people, they have to arrange burial and funeral. Earlier, Janaza was performed under pressure, but now it is not like this anymore.- Imam Shahidul Islam in front of Daulatdia Jame Mosque.
The funeral is late, the burial is late
Residents of Daulatdia Vishnakpalli complain that when someone dies in the village, his janaza is delayed. Local imams come late or don't want to come for various reasons. Later, they were forced to come under the pressure of the administration and various non-governmental organizations. Children and teenagers mainly take part in the burial. They have to do everything from bathing the corpse to digging the grave. No outsider comes. The villagers demanded to get rid of them.
In this regard, Pesh Imam of Daulatdia Jame Masjid Shahidul Islam said that like ordinary people, they have to arrange burial and funeral. He said that even though Janaza was performed under pressure earlier, it is no longer the case.
What Islam says
'Surely those who like that obscenity should spread among the believers, for them is a painful punishment in this world and in the Hereafter.' (Surah Noor 19)
If a Muslim does not renounce Islam, he does not become a kafir even if he indulges in adultery and other major sins. Although it is a great sin to take sex work as a profession, sex workers do not become infidels because of this. Even if a Muslim unfortunately takes up such a profession, after his death his funeral should be performed and he should be buried like a Muslim.
In this regard, Khatib of Meherpur Mosque, Maulana Gausul Azam told Jago News, 'It is obligatory to offer funeral prayers for Muslim sex workers like other Muslims. It is an essential duty of Muslim society. If a few recite Janaza, it will be accepted on behalf of all, and if no one prays, all will be sinners.'
There is success even in a hundred obstacles
Palli residents face hundreds of hurdles and problems but they also have some success stories. Meanwhile, a girl who grew up in a safe home in Palli is studying in the engineering department of a reputed university in Dhaka. A boy has become Hafez of Quran and is now reading Dawraye Hadith (post graduation equivalent). More than 250 boys and girls are studying in Safe Home. Many of them have passed primary and are now studying in secondary school. Non-governmental organization 'Piact Bangladesh' has arranged the marriage of 10 girls studying from Safe Home. They are now in the mainstream of society.
Daulatdia Ghat branch manager of 'Piact Bangladesh', Mojibur Rahman told Jewel Jago News, “There is no alternative to safe homes to protect children staying in Jaunpalli. Because safe housing is conducive to physical and mental development of children. If the village children are not kept safe and the pregnant mothers are not kept safe, the girl children will indulge in mother's profession. Similarly, boys and children will be involved in various crimes including drug addiction. But this is the current image of the sex industry. In addition, children should be protected from child abuse. If not, the society will become more corrupt.'
Rajbari District Social Services Department Deputy Director Rubaiyat Md. Ferdous told Jago News, 'We work through NGOs in Jaunpalli. Payact Bangladesh is an NGO working on health issues. It is also working on whether there is anyone infected with HIV in the village. We are working there on old age allowance and child protection. We are trying to get government assistance to every person. Moreover, the issue of children is coming to the attention of the administration. There is no opportunity to force anyone to do anything.'
EAR/MMAR/JIM
