Marufa Begum, 30, was under treatment at the Upazila Health Complex when she died.

Marufa, who was a sex worker in Mumbai, India, died of HIV-related illness, said Civil Surgeon of Khulna Dr AKM Abdus Samad Mian.

Although she returned to her home village at Banishanta in October 2005, she was diagnosed as having the deadly disease in March last year when her blood tests carried out in Khulna General Hospital and Bangabandhu Medical College Hospital showed that she was infected with HIV.

Since then Marufa had been under treatment with the financial support from the World Vision, a non-government organisation.

Estranged from her husband, a day-labourer, while in Mumbai, Marufa became a sex worker to earn a living.

She left behind a 10-year-old daughter.