<i>About half of a brothel's sex workers are children</i>
A staggering 300 among the 820 sex workers at Kandapara brothel in Tangail town are children while over 100 of them belong to the age group of 12-14 years.
Most of the children are forced to do the work against their will after brokers, who manage them from different area of the country through deceitful techniques, sell them to sardarnis (female brothel runners).
The under-aged children are listed as 'adults' allegedly with the help of a section of corrupt police officials who give them approval for affidavit through the notary public to get the license in exchange of Tk 10,000 to Tk 15,000 per head from the sardarnees, sex workers' sources said.
Besides, police officials during their visits hardly try to know whether a girl has come to this profession willingly or not.
Presently 820 sex workers live at 744 rooms of 59 houses at the one and half century-old brothel. As the demand of child sex workers is high, number of them at the brothel has increased recently, several sex workers told this correspondent.
Although most of the under-aged girls do not want to work as sex workers, sardarnees force them to do the work through brutal torture.
Kept under strict watch all the time, the ill-fated children do not have any scope to flee from the brothel, said an under-aged sex worker seeking anonymity.
When contacted, Jamil Hasan, acting superindent of police (SP) in Tangail, said, "Following allegations against police officials in this regard, I have already given responsibility to an additional SP to inquire into the matter. The affidavits will also be checked. I have discussed with the deputy commissioner about the matter.”
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