POSSIBLE AIDS EPIDEMIC IN BANGLADESH: BREAKING THE SILENCE OF COMPLICENCY

Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The relatively young age structure of the population indicates continued rapid population growth in the future.

In 1992, Bangladesh had around 22 million married women of reproductive age; by the year 2001, this number was projected to rise to 31 million. Instead of a positive demographic transition over last two decades, the country is still in a vicious cycle of population expansion and poverty, and this continues to be a tremendous burden on the nation (Amanullah, 2002).

Various national studies, including Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS), indicate that more than 90 percent of ever-married women living in rural areas are covered by FP workers, however, adolescents/younger women are less likely to have been visited, and the status of primary health services in rural areas is still very poor. Neonatal tetanus, birth-related complications, diarrheal disease, tuberculosis, STDs and other Reproductive Tract Infections (RTIs) continue to be the major killers of the Bangladeshi infants, children and adults.

Bangladesh is also affected with high levels of bacterial, viral, mycotic and parasitic disease which are the major causes of morbidity and mortality.

These infectious diseases could be the prime mover for a vicious cycle of HIV epidemic (Amanullah, 2002).

HIV-related wider risk factors

*Vulnerability of women and children: Trafficking, forced prostitution/labor, rape of detainees in police or other official custody, vigilantism (humiliating, whipping) and discrimination against women/female children are serious problems in Bangladesh.

The government has acceded to the U.N. Protocols, and enacted laws specifically prohibiting certain forms of discrimination against women.

But enforcement of these protocols is rare and a large number of child SWs are still working in countrys brothels/streets in the presence of police. Because of widespread poverty, about 6.3 million Bangladeshi children are not only deprived of the basic rights of life, but are also compelled to work in hazardous environments at a very young age, often as child-laborers, sex workers, beggars, etc.

This frequently results in conditions that resemble servitude and many suffer physical abuse by their masters. Specially, Bangladeshi young girls face double burdens, discriminations, and prejudices of society in the early stages of their lives.

In the above situation adolescent girls and women do not have the knowledge and means to prevent HIV infection (Amanullah, 2002).

HIV/AIDS from global and Bangladesh perspective

According to UNAIDS/WHO estimation, nearly 65 million people have been infected with HIV to date. Of them, more than 30 million have already died of AIDS. More than 35 million adults and children were living with HIV/AIDS throughout the world by the end of 2010. Of them, nearly 95 percent were living in the developing world. In the course of the year 2010, about 3 million people were newly infected, which included 370,000 children aged