Oct 13, 2010

On August, our Election Commission — in an announcement that sounded too good to be true — had recognised the title of sex workers to be added to our National ID cards. That is, along with journalists, nurses, tailors, priests and many other existing professions, sex workers were legally accepted in the central database of voters’ roll.

Election Commissioner Shakhawat Hossain was quoted by the AFP: “If anyone wants to put sex work as a profession, we will recognise that. There is nothing wrong with it. After all, it is one of the oldest professions on earth. We honour the human rights of all professionals.”

Wasfia NazreenOctober 13, 2010Comment

The Crying Quarter

July, 2010

Wasfia Nazreen examines the forgotten lives of sex workers

For an average sex-worker in Bangladesh, there is never any lovemaking. There is no comfort zone, physical or mental. All life is but a rape. There is absolutely no guarantee that tomorrow's rape will be less painful than today's. In 2000, prostitution was formally legalised in the country, which set the ground for Bangladesh to be one of the few Islamic countries that do not "officially" ban prostitution. The decision to legalise prostitution by the High Court was met with anger from some Islamic groups who argued that prostitution was subject to banishment in most Muslim countries. But, in its ruling, the High Court concluded: "The right to livelihood of sex workers is enforceable as a fundamental right."

Wasfia NazreenJuly 6, 2010sex workers, bangladesh, womens rightsComment

Interview of HH Karmapa for Wildlife Trust of India

June 29, 2009

“Animals are not our enemies. We are all interdependent; every animal has a role to play in the ecology by being a part of the food chain. If you remove one layer, the entire chain is affected. Even while talking in the interest of human beings, by saving wildlife, you are ultimately helping yourself,” said His Holiness the Karmapa

Wasfia NazreenJune 29, 2009karmapa, wildlife, conservation, tibetanComment

Breaking the Tibet myth

Sept, 2007

Wasfia Nazreen tells us from Dharamsala, the exiled-capital of Tibet, what's going on and why we should care.

March 10. Another deja-vu scenario of the same old tradition of activities to be carried out for the National Uprising Day of Tibet. Since 1959, millions of refugees have crossed the mighty Himalayan ranges. And continue to do so today, fighting against mind altering conditions, in order to get away from the orders enforced by the Chinese government. The picturesque Shangri-La may not be found here on this side of the Himalayas, yet a certain amount of peace in just about the right quantity seems to prevail in our lives here. It is not easy for a tourist to truly comprehend right away the amount of suffering most of the inhabitants of this area have gone through and still go through to some extent.

Wasfia NazreenSeptember 2, 2007Comment