The reportage “What monsoons won’t wash away” by CNN World

On a strip of land that is barely one km long on the riverbanks of the Pashur, a tributary of the Ganges River, emerges Bani Shanta, one of the 14 o cial brothels in Bangladesh. To get there one needs to embark on small boats, packed with men of all ages, which leave, several times a day, the port of Mongla, 70 km north of the Bengal Gulf. The overloaded ships reach the ve peers of the brothel, each ran by a ‘shordani’, a former prostitute who manages a group pf girls. At the arrival peer, the prostitutes of that group have the right of preference over the clients. In spite of this, lively discussions often take place between the prostitutes or with their clients. A 15’ sexual encounter costs between 100 and 300 taka (one to three euros), according to the age and looks of the prostitute. An all-night stand can cost up to 1.500 taka (15 euro). Bangladesh is one of the few Islamic countries where prostitution is legal. The Bengali Constitution admits that the State may ght prostitution, but in the year 2000 a sentence from the Supreme Court established that the women are allowed to sell their body if proven that it is the only source of income available to them. None of them know their own birth date, as the registration of newborns, an expensive procedure, seldom takes place; therefore, o cially, these girls and women do not exist. The prostitution of under-age girls, although o cially forbidden, is very common. According to a UNICEF report, there are around 10.000 girls, some below 12 years old, engaged in the Bengali sex industry. Most of them work at the brothels, while others do so in hotels, parks and train stations.

The reportage “What monsoons won’t wash away” is part of a wider project called “Invisible people” by Luca Catalano Gonzaga.This project, carried out by Witness Image and financially supported by Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation, gathers photo reportage on men, women and children whose lives have been forgotten amidst old and new forms of poverty and exploitation.