Sojun and the men of the brothel of Daulotdia { 47 images } Created 1 May 2014
“I live here, and here lives my family. I don’t want to leave.”
Sojun has arrived in the brothel of Daulotdia, in Bangladesh, when he was barely 15 years old, to look after Kajoli, the ‘wife’ of his brother Razan, in order to serve and protect her. For more than eight years, Sojun has shared her room, her meals, her drugs and alcohol. When Kajoli gets angry with him, she reminds him that the money she receives from Razan is her money. “You totally depends on me, you are my servant and I am the one who supports you. I can hit you, throw you outside if it pleases me.” Once she comes down, she admits that she cannot live without Sojun. Bishti, Biti and Meghla, Kajoli’s sisters, think of him as a brother.
Daulotdia is a Bangladeshi village, apparently like many others except for one thing: here men have to pay to get in. 160 km from Dhaka on the banks of the Jamuna river, Daulotdia is probably one of the biggest brothels in the world: every day, 2,500 women sale their services to 3,000 men who have come to spend few days if not few years there.
A certain number of men live in the brothel, more or less permanently. First, there are the regular clients called ‘balobachallo’ who come to visit their ‘wives’ like Kajoli’s father, Abdul Mondul used to do until he died few years ago.
Then, there are the men who work in the brothel, as ‘servants’ or shopkeepers. Most of the shops are run by men who spend their days there but not their nights. They declare earning far more than outside.
As for Lalpu, Kajoli’s brother, he was born in the brothel. For men like him, it is difficult to place himself in such an organized matriarchal society. Until few months ago, his two elder sisters were supporting him. He now lives with his girlfriend, Mooni.. The brothel is the only place in Bangladesh where a woman can be financially independent without being criticized.
Mookin has chosen to stay in Daulotdia few years ago after being brought to the place by a friend. He used to work in a garment factory in Dhaka, was married and ‘had’ a son. He now earns some money doing errands for several prostitutes. A way to escape the responsibilities that men are expected to fulfil outside of the brothel?
The brothel is not a place where men come only for sexual services. They also come to relax, drink, smoke away from the gaze of the ‘normal’ society.
Despite the many requests of his parents to come back to the village in order to marry him off, Sojun does not want to leave. He does not see himself living outside. His destiny is tightly linked to Kajoli’s.
Sojun has arrived in the brothel of Daulotdia, in Bangladesh, when he was barely 15 years old, to look after Kajoli, the ‘wife’ of his brother Razan, in order to serve and protect her. For more than eight years, Sojun has shared her room, her meals, her drugs and alcohol. When Kajoli gets angry with him, she reminds him that the money she receives from Razan is her money. “You totally depends on me, you are my servant and I am the one who supports you. I can hit you, throw you outside if it pleases me.” Once she comes down, she admits that she cannot live without Sojun. Bishti, Biti and Meghla, Kajoli’s sisters, think of him as a brother.
Daulotdia is a Bangladeshi village, apparently like many others except for one thing: here men have to pay to get in. 160 km from Dhaka on the banks of the Jamuna river, Daulotdia is probably one of the biggest brothels in the world: every day, 2,500 women sale their services to 3,000 men who have come to spend few days if not few years there.
A certain number of men live in the brothel, more or less permanently. First, there are the regular clients called ‘balobachallo’ who come to visit their ‘wives’ like Kajoli’s father, Abdul Mondul used to do until he died few years ago.
Then, there are the men who work in the brothel, as ‘servants’ or shopkeepers. Most of the shops are run by men who spend their days there but not their nights. They declare earning far more than outside.
As for Lalpu, Kajoli’s brother, he was born in the brothel. For men like him, it is difficult to place himself in such an organized matriarchal society. Until few months ago, his two elder sisters were supporting him. He now lives with his girlfriend, Mooni.. The brothel is the only place in Bangladesh where a woman can be financially independent without being criticized.
Mookin has chosen to stay in Daulotdia few years ago after being brought to the place by a friend. He used to work in a garment factory in Dhaka, was married and ‘had’ a son. He now earns some money doing errands for several prostitutes. A way to escape the responsibilities that men are expected to fulfil outside of the brothel?
The brothel is not a place where men come only for sexual services. They also come to relax, drink, smoke away from the gaze of the ‘normal’ society.
Despite the many requests of his parents to come back to the village in order to marry him off, Sojun does not want to leave. He does not see himself living outside. His destiny is tightly linked to Kajoli’s.
