A tale of struggled women of Bangladesh - 4

written by Golam Rabbani Sujon

In 2002, she became very close with a police surgeon who wanted to get married her. They became very close and she trusted him very much but at the end he refused to get married her. She spent enough time and money. She shocked and suffered long days. On the other hand she was not satisfied with her present profession. The family members of her birth family and other relatives did not like her. At the beginning time her guardians tried to stop her way but then she did not obey their words. She tried to avoid her guardians and relatives but now family members don’t want to keep her with them. She was not feeling well to continue her present profession. Being much fasted she was thinking to any how she would stop her profession. In the meantime one of her relative offered her to go to the abroad and he also told her that he would help her to go to the abroad. Her relative wanted 12000 taka for sending Dubai. Beauty collected some money from her savings and she took some money from her mother. Her relative told that she would get two years free visa. So she could do any job in Dubai. Her relative also told that at Dubai he had a friend who would receive her and he might get married her if she would like him. Beauty went to Dubai in the middle of 2004. After going to Dubai Beauty started to live with that guy. She was unemployed few days and then she took a job in a beauty parlor. Once she also worked as a cleaner in the hope of earning some more money. But she was in problem with that guy as he did not want to get married but he was living with her without any marital tie. He did not harass her but he did not to leave her. Then Beauty thought that any how she would earn much money and she would run business in Bangladesh with that money. She also wanted to stay there several years to make cash. But day by day that guy became rude to her. He did not like her to work which time he stayed at home. He enjoyed her whole night and at the end he offered her to sex with some of her friends. Then Beauty tried to take shelter another where. At last she took decision that she would leave that country. After living only one year she returned to Bangladesh. In the meantime she sent 70,000 taka to her mother and she was able take 20,000 taka when she returned in Bangladesh. She said that at the end she thought that it would be better to continue sex work at native country as she had to sex randomly at foreign country.

After returning in Bangladesh several weeks she did not continue sex working profession. Then she started to live with her birth family. But few weeks later she again started to move to and fro again. Then again she started to continue her old profession which she could not continue living with her birth family. Then she took shelter to a woman who was her known before. She started to live with her as a paying guest. That woman was aware about her profession. She also got scope to work in an NGO as a field worker. She worked there for about five months. She used to continue her sex working profession. Now she is running her profession randomly.

A tale of struggled women of Bangladesh - 3

After leaving her house she took shelter to her cousin’s husband’s family. There was a small river to go to her cousin’s husband’s house. But the financial condition was not well. Beauty used to help her cousin financially selling her ornaments and other things which she bought for her marriage. There was a garment worker who lived near her cousin’s house. That garment worker advised her to work in the garment factory. She also thought that she needs to pass and earning some money. Then she joined in a garment factory which was situated at Narayangonj. She joined there as a helper and her salary was held below 1000 taka per month. She had to use a boat as transportation to cross the river. She could not work in this garment factory one month too. One day she introduced with a girl who was passing the river in same boat. She also lived in same area where Beauty used to live. Beauty informed that she was doing a good job and she received a handsome salary. Beauty talked with that girl in the boat and they became close. Next day Beauty also met with her and made a good relation with her. Beauty also proposed her to give a job with handsome salary. The name of that girl was Sultana and she was about 25 years old. Beauty stopped going to the garment factory. Next day Beauty met with Sultana and they both went to the Narayangonj. Sultana took her several houses and office but Beauty could not understand her profession. Sometimes Sultana went to several houses alone for the time being and Beauty had to wait for her. Beauty understood that Sultana had good relation with many young men. Sometimes Sultana introduced her with some young men as her cousin. Sultana and her friends (young men) often offered her good food like snacks, cold drinks etc. they had also took lunch in restaurant which was costly. Whole day Beauty passed with her and enjoyed rickshaw journey. Beauty asked her about her job when they were returning home. Sultana replied that next day she would take her in an office. Next day Beauty also went to her and they both went to the Narayangonj. They passed most of the time in the district court area and Sultana met with some guys. In the meantime she introduced with her with a young pretty boy. Sultana went alone to some where keeping her with that boy. After office period they went to a house where they took rich evening breakfast. They also took bear (wine) and offered Beauty. Then Sultana told to Beauty about her profession, income and working process and she also told her she could do if she wishes. Beauty also took Bear (wine). After completing Sultana’s works and breakfast she wanted to return home but Beauty did not want to return from that house as she became agreed to pass that night with that pretty boy due to earning money. So, Sultana went to her house but Beauty passed night in that house. Whole night they enjoyed. In the morning that pretty boy gave her 5000 taka and Beauty returned her house. From that day Beauty started to work as a residence based sex worker. Beauty also started to work coming to Dhaka with Sultana. Beauty also started to pass night in the workplace. Though she was spending money at her cousin’s family, they did not behave with her well. They did not want to keep Beauty with them. They doubted Beauty as bad girl. In the meantime Beauty became introduced with many sex workers and clients. Then Beauty started to live with a woman at Mohammadpur, Dhaka. One of her client helped her to live here. That client was a Union Council Chairman (Public representative of local govt. elected) who lived at Pabna District. Sometimes he used to come at Dhaka and lived with Beauty. That chairman also used to give Beauty’s house rent and some extra money for her personal expenditure. He used to want Beauty to stop sex working profession. Beauty said that he spent a lot of money for her. But Beauty used to continue her profession when he did not stay in Dhaka. That chairman used to come in Dhaka in every one or two months and he lived in Dhaka one or two days.

A tale of struggled women of Bangladesh- 2

After previous >>

Beauty was passing her life happily with her study and dance program. Then an incident happened in her life which changed her life. A local young mastan (muscle man) was living same lane of their house who wanted to get marry her and he tried to make a relation with Beauty but Beauty used to avoid him and she refused to make relation with him. He was local terror and some police cases were filed against him. One day one of her friend (with whom she learned dancing) and her elder brother came to visit her house. When they were leaving Beauty’s house that mastan insulted them. But Beauty informed that her friend and her elder brother were beating and kept in a house. Hearing that news Beauty went that mastan and that man took Beauty in a house where was none. That man raped Beauty forcefully. Many people were informed that incident in her locality and some local alert persons proposed Beauty’s guardians and that mastan’s guardians to give them in marriage. At the beginning time Beauty was not agreed but later she became agreed to get married him. But Beauty’s maternal uncles were not agreed with that marriage and they wanted to give in marriage to another where. For this purpose Beauty was sent to Narayangonja to one of her maternal aunt’s house. There she was shown to many bridal parties due to give her in marriage. At last her guardians finally selected a boy her marriage. But she did not like that boy. Already her guardians and aunt started buying marriage equipments (sharee, ornaments and some other things). Before two days ago of her marriage she left away her aunt’s house with her purchasing things for her marriage. Then she went to one of her maternal cousin’s home who also lived in Narayangonja which was situated beside Narayangonj city.
Continue ... ...

written by Golam Rabbani Sujon

A tale of struggled women of Bangladesh- 1

Beauty (pen name) is a girl of 21 years old. She looks very beautiful and she is brightened with smile. She was born in a lower middle class family. She studied up to class-7. She wears valuable dresses and sometimes she rides valuable car. But she is unhappy, none of her relatives like her and none of her relatives communicate with her. She lives in our society like a criminal. She also went out of our country and at present she is resident base sex worker. More details ..............

Beauty was born in a Muslim family at old Dhaka Rayer bazaar in 1986. She was the fourth child of her parents. Her father was a small business man. Her father used to run a grocery shop. Her father came from Faridpur district. Her mother was a housewife. But her mother was the permanent inhabitant of Dhaka. So in this connection they have enough maternal relatives in Dhaka. Usually Beauty or her family used to not visit their village. But sometimes her father used to visit their village where Beauty’s paternal grand parents were living. Beauty has five sisters and two brothers.

At her childhood she got admission in a school which was adjacent of their house. There was a neighboring girl who was also a student of her school. They both used to go to their school together. When she was reading in class-1, she and her friend left school and they went to the bus-stand and took seat in a bus. She and her friend did not understand where they went. Bus helpers made them out of their bus. Then they started to walk to find out their house but they failed to find out. Being weak they started to cry. Many people asked them from where they came, their address. But she could not say their address. Police took them to the police camp and next day they were sent to the Mirpur vagabond centre. Police asked her address but she knew only her members’ name. She could not say her residential area name. Few days later they were sent to the Gazipur vagabond centre. Probably it was then 1995. She had to stay in this vagabond centre for about five years. She was studying in an NGO school at vagabond centre. She studied there whole the years and she studied up class-6 in the vagabond centre school. She became close with her school teacher. Then Beauty could say her school’s name where she studied at her early life. Then her vagabond school teacher communicated with her school and found her parents. Then her parents released her from the vagabond centre. Her parents tried to find out her at the beginning time. But being failure they gave up searching her. Her parents and other relatives thought that Beauty got died. Her mother and other members of her family became very happy to find her after long days.

After coming to her family she started to live with her birth family happily. She took admission in a high school in class-6 again. Beside her study she also took admission in a coaching centre where she used learn dancing. That coaching centre was situated near her dwelling place. Dancing was favorite hobby from her childhood and she could dance well at her childhood. After one year or when she was reading in class-seven she started to dance in many ceremonies and she started to receive money 1000 taka per program. Day by day she became known to many persons as a dancer. She was passing her time very happily.

Next parts of her life history will come soon.....................

1. An accidental occurrence in her life and how she involved in sex working profession?

2. How and why she went to the Dubai? How she passed one year in the Dubai?

3. Description of her present resident based sex working profession and present life?

The Role of Rivers in Bangladesh

I would like to share with the readers about the role of rivers in Bangladesh. We all know that Bangladesh is a land of rivers. She has many rivers. Some rivers are big and some rivers are small. River causes benefits with some devastate. There are some main rivers in Bangladesh. They are: the Padma, the Meghna, the Jamuna, the Karnafuly, the Buriganga, the Sitalakshya, the Dhaleswari, and the Madhumati etc.

Bangladesh is an agricultural country. The rivers help us in agriculture. The prosperity of her agriculture depends on these rives. We get many kinds of fishes from these rivers. Fish is our important wealth. Our fishermen catch a huge quantity of fish. They earn a lot of foreign exchange by exporting fish. Fish is our main item of food. Our rivers are important for communication and transport. Boats, Launches and steamers move on these rivers in all seasons. Men and goods are carried from one place to another and one port to another port.

Sometimes the rivers cause a great damage to our life and property. In rainy season they make floods. Roads, houses, fields go under water. They destroy our wealth, People suffer from untold sufferings.

The name of my village is Hoshil. It is situated near the Padma. The Padma is a very beautiful river. When I go to my village, then I take bath in the river. I swim there as much as I can.

The river-break causes a problem for the villagers. When river-break occurs then the villagers need to change their houses. They loose their lands also. If we help those helpless villagers then we can remove our poverty. So, we can see that rivers cause some problems. But rivers are very essential for an agricultural country.

written by Aysha Akter

Nari Jibon’s first Workshop on Blogging

Today is Friday, July 13, 2007. After achieving Globalvoices grant, Nari Jibon has arranged the first workshop on Blogging. Nari Jibon has invited Razib Ahmed- a Bangladeshi professional blogger. Mr. Ahmed writes in SouthAsiaBiz.com and IndianRaj.com with Know More Media Network (one of the top blog networks in Internet today). Know More Media has more than 70 blogs and it is based in California, USA.


Razib Ahmed is one of the most successful Bangladeshi bloggers according to Alexa and Tecnorati rankings. SouthAsiaBiz has received nearly 1.6 million pageviews in the last 15 months. His blogs have been featured and linked by Times Online, BoingBoing, UK’s Channel 4, BBC and many other websites. His blogs have been nominated for Best Asian Business blog Award and Razib Ahmed received Know More Media's Incredible Author Award for July 2006. He has also been interviewed.

Mr. Ahmed will talk about…..

Bangla blogging
Software
Unicode fonts
Websites for Bangla blogging
Using Technorati

Writing a blog entry

It is a good opportunity for Nari Jibon’s new and young bloggers to learn about blogging from an expert blogger like Razib Ahmed.

Life of a Little Street Girl in Dhaka City

Written by Suchitra Roy

Champabati is 12 years old girl and lives in a slum in Dhaka City. At this age, she had to go to school but now she is collecting torn papers from one area to another area of Dhaka City and does it until evening .Then she gathers all the papers and takes her preparation for selling them. She gets a very little profit from it.


During talking with her, she has expressed her secreted regret that she hates to lead this type of life and is to face many problems. She dreams to be educated like other girls who are leading a different type of life, not like her in the society.


Champabati studied before but for her family she was to leave her school. She shows her anger to her father and blames him for her miserable life. Yet she is working all day long keeping a sweet dream in her heart that one day happy day will come for her.

Fire Attack in a Graments of Bangladesh

Pictures by Animesh Chandara Bain

Strong flame playing inside the Garments buildings

Dense Black Smoke covers the hole Garments building

A Street Cake Maker in Dhaka City

Written by Suchitra Roy

Bangladesh, the green land is full of natural beauty. At the present, Bangladesh takes a different appearance and color in each season. In winter season, we can to arrange a festival (Poish Paban Mela) of making different types of cakes in each home in our villages of Bangladesh.

But we see some male & female to make cake named ‘Chitoi Pitha’ beside the street of Dhaka City. They try to make up the demand of the city people.
One of them is Shafia Begum who has been making cakes on the street for 7 years. Everyday she sells her hand made ‘Chitoi Pitha’ with dry fish mash.


Shafia Begum makes 150 pieces of cakes and her benefit is only Tk50 per day. She sells her cakes to all classes of people and they are buying them eagerly. Her making process of cakes is so skillful. At her old age this profession is the only way to meet up her daily needs. But it is very hard to maintain her family. She said, “Inshallah my business will go well through the blessing of God.”

A Tale of a Day Struggled Girl in Dhaka City

story written & picture taken by Taslima Akter

In Dhaka, more than 10 million people live here. We know a little bit of them. But the slum life of Dhaka is miserable. I am going to express something one of them.

In slum of Dhaka city, here are live in lots people who came from the rural village area of Bangladesh. Many of them have come to Dhaka for finding job and to do something of their livelihood. The environment of slum was very dirty. There are no facilities of pure water, well sanitation and suitable living place.

Some days ago, I had gone Khilgaon slum in Dhaka city. Here I talked with a girl Nazma. She is 18 years old. Her home district is Sariyatpur. She has lost her mother when she was 4 years old. After her mother dead her father got married again. Now her father and step-mother don’t communicate with her. Now she lives with her uncle and aunty.

Nazma is illiterate. When I asked about her education, she answered to me she has no any interest on education. What is the benefit of education? No one sent her to school in her childhood, she replied. She has lost her interest about education. Whole day she has worked in her uncle business. She has broken brick all day long. She has no any payment for this work. Alternately her uncle and aunty provide food, cloth and living place.

Bangladeshi Handicraft: “Nakshi Katha”

In our Bangladesh we have improved on handicraft business. We are also exporting our handicrafts to foreign countries. We are being appreciated from those countries for our nice handicrafts. We can introduce our country with the other countries through this business. This type of business is helping to reduce our unemployment problem. Women are also working on handicraft. I feel that it is a good sign for Bangladesh. We have different handicraft businesses. Among them Nakshi Katha is a famous handicraft. It is not only famous in Bangladesh but also in other countries. A framed Naksi Katha increases the beauty of a room by hanging on a wall. It is used at home, office, shopping complex etc. In the rural area of Bangladesh “Nakshi Katha” is a common handicraft. It is an art of neglected village women. Sometimes, some fashionable women of rural area pass their leisure period by designing Nakshi Katha. Nakshi katha is a tradition of village. It takes tatters, cotton and needles to weave a Nakshi Katha. Women weave it with their creative skills. They make special designs with different pictures on it with the colorful cottons. It takes three or four months to make a nakshi katha for a woman. It is mainly used for bed sheet and blanket. The Bangladeshi people feel proud for this. Nakshi Katha can be used as a gift item for new couple, especially from bride family in the rural area.

The seller was showing Nakshi Katha in the fair - picture by Taslima Akter

Now Nakshi Ktha is a famous and fashionable item of handicraft in the urban area. We can buy Nakshi Katha from different fair, shopping centre etc. In the fair most of the seller are women. The shopping centre Aarong is famous for Nakshi Katha design. The designs show the Bangladeshi culture.

Written by Shahana Akter Munia

Historical Place of Bangladesh: Pictures of Sonargaon

Pictures taken by Animesh Chandra Bain

A Tale of 26 February, 07: Fire on BSEC Bhaban-2

At that night Begum Khaleda Jia came to the patient. She did not do anything for them. She was asking funny question. Then she left the place. Next day the opposite leader Shekh Hasina came and gave 10,000 taka to them. 50, 000 taka was given to five patients. After three days he was discharged from the hospital. 10,000 taka was not sufficient for him. There were thirteen broken bones in his ankle. But the money wasn’t sufficient for him. From February to till now 60,000 taka has been spent for him. He came back home on 13 March. After returning home through his office by the Government he was given more 10,000 taka. The death people’s families were given 1 lac taka. This 20,000 taka can’t recover any injured person at present day. In our country for primary treatment we need enough money .Those weren’t sufficient money to get proper treatment. With the blessing of Allah, he over came his broken leg with one bandge. Now he can’t walk without a stick. Already he started to go to office with his injured leg. He has a burden family on his head .He has two daughters and two sons and they are students till now. The elder sister is married. She lives at her father-in-law’s house. The younger daughter can’t continue her study regularly because she has younger brohers.They also need to study. For this she is trying to earn something with her best, that will be helped she to continue her study. Md. Azizur Rhaman is an honest man for his accident he is suffering for money. He needs a strong support by mentally and economically.

I wish that, Allah must help him again and build up his children’s career for the strong support. He never accepts his daughters support without his sons’. So, the sons need better study.

written by Ayasha Siddika

My Favorite Season

I am Kaniz Fatema Kanta. Here I will share my thoughts about my favorite season.

My favorite season is Rainy Season. We know that Bangladesh is a land of monsoon .There is six seasons in Bangladesh. Each season has its own features. We can see new scenery in each season. When new seasons come, the natures become change. The people also feel different in each season. The rainy season is one of them.

The rainy season comes after summer. During the months from June to August, the monsoon wind blows from the south-west and brings heavy showers. The rainy season is most welcome to people because of relief from excessive heat. The sky becomes overcast with clouds and we can’t see the sun light. Sometimes it goes on raining for some days. The rainy season is a season when there happen continuous rainfalls. Ponds, canals, lakes and rivers become brimful. The roads become muddy some where. The roads are sunk by water almost every where. People come out carrying umbrellas. People life comes to a standstill. In Bangladesh there are many people who live on the footpath in open air, they have no shelter during the rainfall. They are to face danger during the rainy season. Often the schools and colleges remain closed. Some people are thinly attended in the office. Shops and market places become customer less. Day laborers and beggars suffer a lot.

The rainy season is a great blessing for our country. Cause our agriculture depends on this rain. If the rain does not come in time, our farmer won’t be able to leave a good harvest. Some times it rains so heavily that it causes flood and bring untold miseries to people. Some people dislike the rainy season. But I feel that there is a joy in watching the dark clouds and hearing the sound of rainfall. The nature looks fresh and green. That’s why I like the Rainy Season most.

written by Kaniz Fatema Kanta

The people of Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a small low –lying country in the South Asia. Bangladesh becomes independent in 1971 at the cost of supreme sacrifice of many valiant people. The ancient city Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh. It is a very poor and populated country; Poverty is a great problem for our country people. Many people live in village. Many people are not educated. Now I am trying to describe about the men, women and children of Bangladesh.

Men: Many people are farmers. Most of the farmers are not educated. They are not able to send their children to school because of their poverty. They work hard in the field for a long time. Some farmers work in the field with their children. They think that their children don’t need education. The people of city always remain busy for their works. They go to office in the morning and return home at night. Many poor people live in the city. They are rickshaw puller, taxi driver etc. Sometimes the people of city go to travel with their family. The village people do not get spare time. When they get some spare time, they pass this time by gossiping, playing cards, listening stories, enjoying jarigan, sharigan, kabigan and by playing some country games like ha-du-du etc.

Women: The women of the city always remain busy for their works. Many educated women are working at office. Many educated women are teaching at schools, colleges and universities. Some educated women are teaching on computer courses. Many uneducated women live in our country. Some uneducated women work at many garments factory. Most of the women remain busy for their house hold work. The women of the city spend their time going out side with their families. The poor women spend their time by gossiping. Some women work with their husbands in the field. Some women sew Nakshikatha and sell those.

Children: The Bangladeshi street children are rootless. Everybody have some ideas about the street children of Bangladesh. The real picture of these street children is very pathetic. They are shelter less. They have no particular living or sleeping place. They sleep on the street. Some of them beg on the street. They may have parents. But their parents do not take proper care of them. they do not get any opportunity to go to school. They are complete illiterate. It is a matter of great regret. Today’s child is tomorrow’s future. So all of us including the government should take necessary steps; that they can enjoy their legal rights.

Written by Tahmina Akter