The New Nation - Internet Edition

A H M Abdul Hai

(From previous issue)

Here is the situation more fatal as expatriate husbands are maintaining extra-marital sex-practice in those countries and their wives have the same sex-practice here. That is why we see time and again some Bangladeshis are identified as HIV positive in the foreign land and they are forcibly returned home. They are coming back and having sex with their wives and spread it at large. The vulnerable situation of such an extra-marital sex practice does not come to light as these characters always pretend to be honest, pious and chaste.

Though pre-marital and extra-marital sex-practices are in such a risky level in Bangladesh, no bride or bridegroom dare demand HIV test prior to the marriage. So the question easily comes ahead "Who is and how much aware of HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh?" It clarifies that the NGOs and Government programs could reach only limited community members such as brothel-based and hotel-based sex workers, Injecting Drug Users of drug-dens and a few of internal migrants. But a large portion of common people are left unaware and untouched. The Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2004 shows, in last two decades several crores of Taka had been spent on "Awareness Raising and AIDS Prevention". However, only 22/% of the population is aware of HIV/AIDS. In the same survey, it was found, only 60% of women and 42% of men have heard of AIDS. One third of men could not name a single method of avoiding HIV. Only one in ten men knew that limiting to one partner could reduce the risk of HIV transmission. In addition, a large majority of respondents have not heard of STIs at all, which accounted for more than 70% in all categories interviewed. There are known to be significant barriers to condom use in the whole country. These include the perception of men that it reduces sexual pleasures, is barrier to closeness and associated with promiscuity and illicit sex. There is also the embarrassment associated with the purchase of condoms. A survey also found that 18% of sexually active male adolescents had sexual intercourse with sex workers. Among the married male, 36% is reported having pre-marital sex.

While commenting on the 7th National Surveillance Report, former Programme Manager of National AIDS/STD Program (NASP) Dr Abdus Salim says, "HIV prevalence rate in Bangladesh is below 1 percent but risk practices and environment for infection are rampant here." He says that Bangladesh is geographically also at risk of AIDS. Long border area, sex trade, labor migration as links between most at risk population and general people together with gender discrimination, poverty, low level of education, high level of drug addiction among youth, inadequate health service and lack of awareness about HIV/AIDS, which promote infection of this virus, are still prevailing in the country. UNAIDS and World Health Organization, in 2004, expressed their concern that Bangladesh has about 14 - 15 thousand HIV positive people, but NASP estimates the number of HIV positive people in Bangladesh is 7,500. Government did not accept the UNAIDS statistics without any proven ground.

It is very noteworthy in the present national perspective that, while preparing voter ID and national ID card for the people, the Government can easily accomplish all five tests including HIV/AIDS status and mention blood group in the ID cards at the same time. Because, till now Government can not strongly claim any accuracy of their own data of 874 AIDS cases when crores of people are beyond the access of having HIV test. Moreover, it will be a great achievement if Government introduces HIV test in every seaport, airport and land ports just now to combat HIV/AIDS infection through external migrants.

Being afraid of the article to be over-loaded by only a lump of data and figures, it has been limited to the boundary of analyzing root-level and hidden but real situation of sexual vulnerability keeping other vulnerable behaviors left aside. It is with the view to storming the brain and thought of the countrymen and policy makers to address the newly-discovered areas and fill in the loop-holes concerning HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and awareness issues. Otherwise, it will be late when the AIDS bomb is blasted and positive people will be explored in a geometric rate of multiplication.

[Writer is a freelance journalist)

(Concluded)