Ito Pala ang Buhay ng mga Kababaihan sa Bangladesh Dahil sa Legal na Bahay Aliwan!

Everyone knows that Bangladesh is a small Muslim nation just above India. But Bangladesh doesn't only house a majority of people who practice the religion of Islam.

Inside the country, Bangladesh houses one of the few legal brothels in the world.

In the district of Tangail, the Kandapara brothel which is the oldest and second largest brothel in the country exists. It has been there for at the last 200 years!

It was actually demolished back in 2014 but many women that are employed in the area have no where else to go, therefore it was reinstated with the help of local NGOs.

Piqued by this event and peculiar circumstance, Sandra Hoyn, a Germany-based photojournalist wanted to take a peak inside the walled city of Kandapara.

“The brothel is like its own microcosm, it is a city in a city.” Hoyn told NextShark, where she e-mailed her photos.

 “In the narrow streets, there are food stalls, tea shops and street vendors. I spent every day from morning till evening in the brothel and some days I forgot where I was. It was sometimes like everyday life in another city with it’s own rules.”

Officially, the women who work there have to be 18 years old, but there are a lot of them who are underage, she added. In fact, some workers even have to take certain drugs to look older and healthier.

Most women who work there, have to start as bonded workers-- meaning they have debts to be paid before they could become independent guest entertainers whom can refuse customers.

But until then, any customer who can pay, may enter them.

“From the moment that a woman has paid her debts, she is free to leave the brothel.” said Hoyn.

“But these women are socially stigmatized outside their ‘homes’ and thus often choose to stay and continue supporting their families with their earnings.”

If your wondering how Hoyn was able to take her photos, she said that some were actually bothered by the camera in front of them, while others just don't care. Those people think that there's nothing wrong with their form of entertainment.

The price of their time depends on age and beauty of the girl and the kind of room a customer wishes to avail. The service and the room can cost about 1000- 2000 Taka daily or around 300 Taka, roughly 150 pesos only per customer.

When asked about the state of the women, Sandra Hoyn only had this to say:

“Most of them have sad stories — but they are really strong, at least outwardly. I admire that they manage their lives under these circumstances and do not give up. They are not just survivors or victims, they are fighting and enjoying their life in their own way.”


Source: Next Shark