Bangladesh probes abuse allegations

The homes are an alternative to life on the streets

By David Chazan in Dhaka

Social workers and government officials met in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on Thursday to discuss the allegations that physical and sexual abuse is widespread in vagrant homes.

A new report alleges that women and children in the homes are frequently abused by those who are supposed to look after them.

We are not here to promote this misery, we are here to dissolve it

Abdul Matin Khasru, Bangladeshi Law Minister

Former inmates attending the conference said that being raped in the homes had driven some of them into prostitution.

Bangladeshi Law Minister Abdul Matin Khasru agreed the government must take action.

"This is a shame for us and most of these girls are suffering from Aids and different chronic diseases. We are not here to promote this misery, we are here to dissolve it," he said.

The minister said the government could change the vagrancy law, which is a relic of British colonial rule.

However he went on to suggest Bangladeshis need to also change their attitudes to destitute people and prostitutes.

Rape 'is frequent'

The meeting was an emotional encounter that at times degenerated into a shouting match between the officials and former inmates, who complained that the government had failed to protect them.

"Rape is frequent, I can say that. The staff is abusing sexually the inmates, female inmates," said Ahmed Karim, who helped to compile the report.

Bangladesh has seven vagrant homes currently holding 2,300 people. Most are prostitutes or homeless children rounded up from the street.

Some are released fairly quickly, but others languish in the homes for years.