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Mohammad Khairul Alam
Although Bangladesh
continues to be a low prevalence area, it is surrounded by high prevalence
countries (High prevalence of HIV/AIDS in neighboring India). We however must
not adopt a complacent attitude in respect as our country has all the
determinants for an explosive outbreak of HIV/AIDS epidemic. Curses of poverty,
illiteracy, ignorance, proximity of Bangladesh to the so-called 'Golden
Triangle' & high prevalence of STDs, make our country seriously vulnerable. Drug
use increases the HIV risk and can start very early-for example, glue-sniffing
by youngsters living or working on the streets. The danger of becoming infected
with HIV by sharing injecting equipment is well known, and real. Unemployment,
slum housing, family fragility, frequent cross-border movement of people, lack
of information, unsafe blood transfusion, physical and sexual abuse-that create
a "risk environment" of violence for many young people in the region. In
addition increased number of migrant workers, unsafe practice in health service,
unsafe sex practice etc. movement of population, less use of condom, polygamy,
homosexuality, extra-marital relations, further increases the susceptibility.
In Bangladesh,
the intravenous drug users (IDU) are the most potential carriers of HIV/AIDS
among the vulnerable groups in the country. The fourth round of national HIV and
behavioural surveillance report showed that the HIV infection rate among the
injection drug users (IDUs) is now 4 per cent, up from 2.5 per cent previously
which is just short of the 5 per cent mark of a concentrated epidemic. About
93.4 per cent IDUs in central Bangladesh admitted that they share same syringe
while taking drugs. Even they use the same syringe several times for taking
drug.
UNCDP estimates that
between 500,000 and 1,00,000 people in Bangladesh are addicted to
drugs. Although HIV rates are comparatively lower (one per cent) among the sex
workers but Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) rates are still quite high (20
per cent) among this group.
On the other hand,
brothel-based female sex workers in Bangladesh report the
highest turnover of clients than anywhere in Asia.
After several investigate on sex industries have identified more then 1,00,000
various category commercial and non-commercial sex workers in Bangladesh
who are most of them illiterate. Some female brothel sex workers have an average
of 20-25 clients per week, Female hotel sex worker meet an average of 44 clients
in a week, the highest number of clients in commercial sex than any other
counties in South-East Asian region. Moreover the residence sex workers and
floating sex workers are present in large number though the precise distribution
and prevalence is still unknown. By a study ‘Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan
Foundation’ also found that a substantial proportion of some young and single
textile, garment workers, tea garden female workers, house key-per supplement
their low wages by occasional prostitution. Consensual sex or non-commercial sex
exists in rural societies, particularly when husbands are absent for a long
time.
Meanwhile, most of the
people of country are unaware about the deadly disease. The 1999-2000 Bangladesh
Demographic and Health Survey found that only 31 per cent of married women and
50 per cent of newly married men had heard of AIDS. Over 90 per cent of rickshaw
pullers could not identify a single method of HIV prevention.
Certainly,
adolescent girls’ prostitution is booming in Bangladesh. Adolescent girls engage
or are forced into prostitution for trafficking or socio-economic reasons. But
in addition to sexual exploitation, they face all sorts of violence. Rainbow
Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation carried out a recent field investigation, the
research confirmed that adolescents girls’ prostitution is widespread in
Bangladesh, although hidden at first sight from foreigners, especially in Dhaka
city. Adolescent girls involved in prostitution are to be found in residence
homes converted into brothels or in hotels. The majority are aged 15-18.
According to the National
AIDS Committee and surveillance team members and experts, the rate is quite
alarming as it remains one per cent less than the highest five per cent HIV
epidemic index. The rate of HIV/AIDS remains less than one per cent among the
other vulnerable groups -- truckers, migrant workers, gay, hijras
(hermaphrodites), professional blood donors, heroin smokers and, hotel, brothel
and street based commercial sex workers.
A recent
survey in Bangladeshi track drivers by Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan Foundation,
found that 80% track driver in Bangladesh have no clear concept of HIV or AIDS.
But 90% respond it is a deadly disease. Bangladesh is a country rounded off
three sides by HIV/AIDS bloom neighboring country India and the existence of the
Bay of Bengal on the other side. Every day a number large of people cross border
movement take place both officially and also illegally. Due to reason of that
great chance to spread out HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh.
tag: female, male,
commercial, floating, street, sex workers, aids, hiv, csws, idus, fsws, girls,
women, consensual, premarital, exmarital, sexuality, empowerment, gender,
education, prevention, dhaka, india, pakistan, bangladesh, adolescent, teen,
teenage, truck drivers. trafficking, epidemic, street girls, knowledge, young
people, discrimination, nonconsensual, coerced sex, sexual partners, safe sex,
sexually transmitted diseases, stds, stis, sexual abuse, forced sex, risky
sexual behaviour, business, multi partner sex, heterosexual, injection,
intravenous drugs users,
prostitution,
men who have sex with men, msm, harassment, sugar daddies, relationships,
condom, polygamy, homosexuality, extra marital, relations, truckers, migrant
workers, gay, hijras, hermaphrodites, professional blood donors, heroin smokers,
hotel, brothel, street based commercial sex workers, casual sex workers, so
called sex workers, violence, exploitation, Rainbow Nari O Shishu Kallyan
Foundation, Mohammad Khairul Alam
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