Sex Trade Workers in Bangladesh: an Exploratory Study of the Sex Workers’ Movement Within the Women’S Movement and Patriarchy, 18™ Century to 2002
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SEX TRADE WORKERS IN BANGLADESH: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF THE SEX WORKERS’ MOVEMENT WITHIN THE WOMEN’S MOVEMENT AND PATRIARCHY, 18™ CENTURY TO 2002 by Nasheeba Selim Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the joint Women’s Studies Programme at Mount Saint Vincent University Dalhousie University Saint Mary’s University Halifax, NS September 13,2004 Copyright by Nasheeba Selim, September 13,2004 Library and Bibliothèque et 1^1 Archives Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de l'édition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre référence ISBN: 0-612-96133-8 Our file Notre référence ISBN: 0-612-96133-8 The author has granted a non L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive license allowing the exclusive permettant à la Library and Archives Canada to Bibliothèque et Archives Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of theL'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither thedroit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts from Niit la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou aturement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. In compliance with the Canadian Conformément à la loi canadienne Privacy Act some supporting sur la protection de la vie privée, forms may have been removed quelques formulaires secondaires from this thesis. ont été enlevés de cette thèse. While these forms may be includedBien que ces formulaires in the document page count, aient inclus dans la pagination, their removal does not represent il n'y aura aucun contenu manquant. any loss of content from the thesis. Canada MOUNT SAINT VINCENT UNIVERSITY DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY JOINT M.A. IN WOMEN’S STUDIES The undersigned hereby certify that they have read and recommend for acceptance a thesis entitled Sex Trade Workers In Bangladesh: An Exploratory Study Of The Sex Workers’ Movement Within The Women’s Movement And Patriarchy, /S'* Century To 2002 by Nasheeba Selim in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. Dated 1 3 Supervisor; Dr. Linda Christiansen-Ruffman Committee Member: Dr. Edna Keeble Examiner:Dr. Meredith Ralston 11 MOUNT SAINT VINCENT UNIVERSITY DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY DATE: September 2004 AUTHOR: Nasheeba Selim TITLE: Sex Trade Workers In Bangladesh: An Exploratory Study Of The Sex Workers’ Movement Within The Women’s Movement And Patriarchy, Century To 2002 DEPARTMENT OR SCHOOL: Women’s Studies DEGREE: Master of Arts CONVOCATION: Fall YEAR; 2004 Permission is hereby granted to Mount Saint Vincent University, Dalhousie University and Saint Mary’s University to circulate and to have copied for non commercial purposes, at their discretion, the above title upon the request of individuals or institutions. Signature of Author THE AUTHOR RESERVES OTHER PUBLICATION RIGHTS, AND NEITHER THE THESIS NOR EXTENSIVE EXTRACTS FROM IT MAY BE PRINTED OR OTHERWISE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE AUTHOR’S WRITTEN PERMISSION. THE AUTHOR ATTESTS THAT PERMISSION HAS BEEN OBTAINED FOR THE USE OF ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL APPEARING IN THIS THESIS (OTHER THAN BRIEF EXCERPTS REQUIRING ONLY PROPER ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IN SCHOLARLY WRITING), AND THAT ALL SUCH USE IS CLEARLY ACKNOWLEDGED. Ill This Thesis is dedicated to the sex workers in Bangladesh and more specifically to Hajera, the chairperson of Durjoy, who has taught me to listen to women’s voices and has been a continual inspiration to me in writing this thesis. IV Sex Trade Workers in Bangladesh: An Exploratory Study of the Sex Workers’ Movement Within the Women’s Movement and Patriarchy, 18*'' Century to 2002 Nasheeba Selim Date of Submission: September 13,2004 Abstract This thesis explores the situation of sex workers in Bangladesh through a feminist holistic analysis, and using a feminist methodology, it traces the status change of sex workers from the pre-colonial era to the present time. While sex workers’ status deteriorated with the introduction of capitalism and British colonialism in the 19*** century, in recent times, sex workers have gained some significant political and socio-economic rights in Bangladeshi society. This thesis examines how a collective women’s movement in the 1980s, stemming out of the UN Decade for Women and global feminisms have helped sex workers create a political platform to put demand their women’s human rights . The illegal evictions in 1999 of sex workers from the Tanbazar brothel has been examined in this thesis to analyze how national and international organizations, women’s organizations and civil society responded to the evictions and through a collective movement created a political platform to demand sex workers’ human rights. This thesis also proposes two overlapping and alternative approaches sex workers might consider using at the present time to look forward and effectively integrate their voices, concerns and needs into the policy and decision making arena and into the larger socio-economic and political realm in Bangladeshi society. Table of Contents Dedication ....................................................................................................................... iv Abstract ........................................................................................................................ v Chapter 1: Introduction Introduction ....................................................................................................1 Rationale for Studying the Sex Workers’ Movement................................2 Feminist Theoretical Framework based on a Holistic Feminist Analysis 6 Feminist Methodological Approach..........................................................11 Chapter Organization..................................................................................17 Chapter 2: Historieal Analysis of Prostitution in Colonial and Post-British Colonial Bengal Introduction ................................................................................................. 21 Early-Colonial Period ................................................................................ 21 British Colonial E ra................................................................................... 24 Post-British Colonial Rule .........................................................................32 Conclusion .................................................................................................. 34 Chapter 3: Women’s Movements in Bangladesh Introduction ................................................................................................. 36 Historical Analysis of Women’s Movements during Colonialism Women’s Political Movements ........................................................... 37 Women’s Social Reform Movements .................................................46 Influence of Feminist Literature ......................................................... 49 Post-Colonial Women’s Movements ........................................................ 50 Conclusion .................................................................................................. 55 VI Chapter 4: Sex Workers, the UN Decade and Women’s Movements in Bangladesh Introduction ................................................................................................. 57 Women’s Human Rights Platform in Bangladesh ................................... 59 The Women’s Movement and Government Accountability ....................62 The Women’s Movements and the Sex Workers.................................... 66 Conclusion .................................................................................................. 68 Chapter 5: The Situation of Sex Workers and the Evictions of 1999 Introduction................................................................................................. 70 Situation of Sex Workers in Major Brothels before 1999 Evictions Background ...........................................................................................71 Methodology.........................................................................................71 Difficulties in Conducting the Survey ................................................73 Situational Analysis of Sex Workers by ACLAB/PIACT ................ 73 Health and Hygienic Conditions......................................................... 75 Use of Contraceptives & Condoms, in Particular by Sex Workers ..76 Awareness of HIV/AIDS & STDs and Protection by Sex Workers. 78 Background to Tanbazar and Nimtoli....................................................... 85 Evictions: How and What Happened........................................................ 89 Evictions: Why It Happened......................................................................92 Immediate Response by NGOs and Civil Society ................................... 95 Legal Response to the Unlawful Evictions of Tanbazar and Nimtoli ....99 Government Responses to the Evictions................................................. 103 Update on the Situation of Sex Workers since the Evictions................106 Conclusion ...............................................................................................