Truly a riveting article and amazing documentary photography. The photographer of this story did a wonderful job at documenting the reality that these women have to endure in a day to day basis. A truly gut wrenching situation. I personally had no idea a place like this existed and much that its 200 years old.

Bangladesh is one of the few Muslim countries in the world where prostitution is legal. The Kandapara brothel in the district of Tangail is the oldest and second-largest in the country — it has existed for some 200 years. It was demolished in 2014, but has been established again with the help of local NGOs. Many of the women were born there, grew up there and didn’t know where else to go when it disappeared.

People congregate inside the Kandapara brothel in Tangail.