Topic: Sex worker Community in Bangladesh. Course Title: Introduction to Community Development. Sharia Akter 2. Sharmin 3. The word prostitute comes from the Latin word prostituta. It is the combination of "Pro" meaning up front or forward and "situere", defined as to offer up for sale. So "prostituta" meaning "to put up front for sale" or "to place forward". But in late s most sex worker activists groups reject the word "prostitute" and used the term sex worker instead.
Sex workers generally refer to that section of women who are engaged, legally or illegally, part time or full-time, regular or irregular sexual acts for money or for any other material gain. But there is a small number of male sex workers found in all EU countries and others. So generally it can tell, sex worker is a person who works in the sex industry. Globally, the sex industry is the third largest area in the black economy right after the drug and arms trade.
Sex trafficking and prostitution of women and girls have spread to every corner of the world. The largest numbers of sex workers come from Asia. Although religion does not permit prostitution. But law of the country does not prevent a woman from becoming a prostitute if she likes to be. So it is legal in Bangladesh and it was legalized in It is illegal to ask for sex on the street, it is legal to sell sex in brothels and red light districts. Local NGOs estimated that recently in the Bangladesh total number of female sex workers to be as many as , and 18 recognized red-light districts across the country.
There are currently 14 brothels a place where men go and pay to have sex with prostitutes in this country, including seven in Dhaka Division, six in Khulna Division and one in Barishal Division. In below figure 1 show the name and location of the brothel.
Among of these, the Doulatdia brothel situated on the bank of Padma river,Rajbari district, Dhaka Division is considered to be the largest in Bangladesh. Sex workers are waiting on the road for client or customers then the client takes them to the hotel or own apartment. Or they contact in internet then take them their place or clients own place. Their main clients are students, rickshaw pullers, transporters, policies etc. On the basis of nature and location, sex workers are classified into following categories: Brothel Sex workers: Sex workers who work in a building, house, apartment which is specificall y designated as a place where prostitution takes place on a regular basis.
