| Although Bangladesh continues to be a low | | | | syringe while taking drugs. Even they use the |
| prevalence area, it is surrounded by high | | | | same syringe several times for taking |
| prevalence countries (High prevalence of HIV | | | | drug.UNCDP estimates that between 500,000 and |
| AIDS in neighboring India). We however must | | | | 1,00,000 people in Bangladesh are addicted to |
| not adopt a complacent attitude in respect as | | | | drugs. Although HIV rates are comparatively |
| our country has all the determinants for an | | | | lower (one per cent) among the sex workers |
| explosive outbreak of HIV/AIDS epidemic. | | | | but Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) |
| Curses of poverty, illiteracy, ignorance, | | | | rates are still quite high (20 per cent) |
| proximity of Bangladesh to the so-called | | | | among this group.On the other hand, |
| 'Golden Triangle' & high prevalence of STDs, | | | | brothel-based female sex workers in |
| make our country seriously vulnerable. Drug | | | | Bangladesh report the highest turnover of |
| use increases the HIV risk and can start very | | | | clients than anywhere in Asia (an average of |
| early-for example, glue-sniffing by | | | | 18.8 clients per week).Meanwhile, most of the |
| youngsters living or working on the streets. | | | | people of country are unaware about the |
| The danger of becoming infected with HIV by | | | | deadly disease. The 1999-2000 Bangladesh |
| sharing injecting equipment is well known, | | | | Demographic and Health Survey found that only |
| and real. Unemployment, slum housing, family | | | | 31 per cent of married women and 50 per cent |
| fragility, frequent cross-border movement of | | | | of newly married men had heard of AIDS. Over |
| people, lack of information, unsafe blood | | | | 90 per cent of rickshaw pullers could not |
| transfusion, physical and sexual abuse-that | | | | identify a single method of HIV |
| create a "risk environment" of violence for | | | | prevention.About 13,000 to 17,000 people are |
| many young people in the region. In addition | | | | living with the incurable virus in |
| increased number of migrant workers, unsafe | | | | Bangladesh, according to the UNAIDS report |
| practice in health service, unsafe sex | | | | 2001.According to the National AIDS Committee |
| practice etc. movement of population, less | | | | and surveillance team members and experts, |
| use of condom, polygamy, homosexuality, | | | | the rate is quite alarming as it remains one |
| extra-marital relations, further increases | | | | per cent less than the highest five per cent |
| the susceptibility.In Bangladesh, the | | | | HIV epidemic index. The rate of HIV/AIDS |
| intravenous drug users (IDU) are the most | | | | remains less than one per cent among the |
| potential carriers of HIV/AIDS among the | | | | other vulnerable groups -- truckers, migrant |
| vulnerable groups in the country. The fourth | | | | workers, gay, hijras (hermaphrodites), |
| round of national HIV and behavioural | | | | professional blood donors, heroin smokers |
| surveillance report showed that the HIV | | | | and, hotel, brothel and street based |
| infection rate among the injection drug users | | | | commercial sex workers.Bangladesh is bordered |
| (IDUs) is now 4 per cent, up from 2.5 per | | | | with India, the second largest HIV infected |
| cent previously which is just short of the 5 | | | | country in the world; the country is |
| per cent mark of a concentrated epidemic. | | | | therefore at high risk for the HIV epidemic, |
| About 93.4 per cent IDUs in central | | | | said Morten Giersing, UNICEF's country |
| Bangladesh admitted that they share same | | | | representative. |