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Kandapara Brothel in Tangail

Dist admin shelters evicted sex workers

Assures them of security, rehabilitation

Our Correspondent, Tangail
The district administration yesterday temporarily sheltered some of the sex workers of 200-year-old Kandapara brothel, who have returned to their former home two months after eviction, at the training centre of a local NGO in Tangail town.
After their return on Tuesday, they started living in plastic shacks at the razed brothel site but they agreed to live elsewhere for now after being assured of security, permanent rehabilitation, and return of their land.
Around 100 sex workers and house owners were at the site when Deputy Commissioner Mahbub Hossain and Superintendent of Police Saleh Mohammed Tanvir, along with other officials, public representatives, and rights activists visited them yesterday.
The sex workers described their sufferings for eviction and demanded that they be allowed to live permanently in their home. An afflicted woman house owner even tried to selfimmolate but the DC stopped her.
The day after their return, Islamist body Osamajik Karjokolap Protirodh Committee, which had evicted 1,500 people, including 600 sex workers, on July 12 in a bid of "some influential quarters to grab the brothel's 3.2-acre land, tried to drive out the victims again but were resisted by the administration.
The officials said there was no reason of worry because a committee was formed by the administration to hand over the brothel land to real owners within 15 days.
"We are preparing a list of the sex workers and house owners of the
brothel for arranging proper security and rehabilitation including alternative employment for them," said the DC.
The sex workers were taken to the training centre of the Society for Social Service (SSS), a local NGO working for the children of the sex workers, in Kagmara area. The victims were provided food by the organisation and clothes by the district administration.
Khandakar Jobayer Hossain, senior training officer of SSS, said they received 16 sex workers and their children initially. "The sex workers told us that more would come to the centre...from their temporary shelters," he said. "We... will try to do our best for them."
The DC said, "We will provide them and their dependents with necessary supports including alternative livelihoods, foods, clothes... We will provide education to their children."
The officials urged the other sex workers of the brothel to contact them for seeking support or sharing problems.
The administration fenced the brothel site by bamboos and installed a signboard restricting entry of" outsiders".
Meanwhile, some of the sex workers of the brothel yesterday held a human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club in the capital demanding return of their home.