July, 2010

Wasfia Nazreen examines the forgotten lives of sex workers

For an average sex-worker in Bangladesh, there is never any lovemaking. There is no comfort zone, physical or mental. All life is but a rape. There is absolutely no guarantee that tomorrow's rape will be less painful than today's. In 2000, prostitution was formally legalised in the country, which set the ground for Bangladesh to be one of the few Islamic countries that do not "officially" ban prostitution. The decision to legalise prostitution by the High Court was met with anger from some Islamic groups who argued that prostitution was subject to banishment in most Muslim countries. But, in its ruling, the High Court concluded: "The right to livelihood of sex workers is enforceable as a fundamental right."

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