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Sharing prostitutes in Bangladesh (errm, no thanks!)

Sharing prostitutes in Bangladesh certainly wasn’t on my bucket list. I should quickly add that this is my second post related to both Bangladesh and prostitutes. I had nearly been arrested after being wrongly accused of using prostitutes in Dhaka! There are plenty of awesome things to do in Dhaka, getting arrested isn’t one! That’s a tad harsh on Bangladesh, to be honest, but it’s just the way my travels panned out.

I had been in the country a week or so. I had discovered a lot of things to see in Bangladesh and it had been a real adventure. We (my 2 friends and I) had taken an amazing rocket steamer boat from Dhaka to Khulna, down to the Bay of Bengal, we disembarked in Khulna in southern Bangladesh sometime around 9pm. It was pitch black. We had no accommodation sorted, and we were ready for a real bed after 2 nights on the boat!

Every corner I turned, I was still getting the crazy stares from the bemused Bangladeshi locals. So when a very cheery guy came springing over with his hand extended “Welcome to Bangladesh my friends, we are so happy to have you, my name is Nazir” with a grin the size of a Cheshire cat. I was relieved.

Meeting Nazir

In countries like Bangladesh, you’re just delighted that someone can speak English and help you out of any tight spots you find yourself in. So when Nazir helped us out with some accommodation, invited us to dinner at his house, introduced us to his extended family, we were so grateful. Then tea round at his place with his wife. Great guy, but a great guy with a different take on how to build on new friendships

Meeting Nazir’s ‘Special Woman Friend’

After a few fun days exploring Khulna, our time was up and we were reading to take the train to Kolkata in India.

Our cheery friend Nazir, however, insisted that we go and meet his special friend for a ‘proper goodbye’. A phrase he used multiple times, but nothing really flagged with me. Naivety? Perhaps. It was certainly a strange way to structure a sentence, but he was a strange guy so I let it slide. We hopped onto two man-powered rickshaws and made our way through the backstreets of Khulna for a good 30 minutes or so. Leaving the town centre into a residential area, turning corners into the depths of the Bangladeshi slums. Prostitutes in Bangladesh were still the last thing on my mind. But then it happened!

An overweight Bangladeshi woman

“We have arrived gentlemen, now come and see my special friend”

Nazir was giggling like a little school girl, almost hyperventilating with excitement. We had parked outside a large house, our new friend sprinted up two flights of dilapidated stairs and then into an apartment. Standing by the door, beckoning us in. Nervously I entered first, brushing aside the beads guarding the door frame, peeking inside, a million ornaments, a very worn purple couch pushed against the grimy wall, covered in sequins. Two wooden chairs and an old school TV perched on a sequined stool. A hugely overweight Bangladeshi woman was waiting to greet us at the far side of the room. Smiling from ear to ear,  Nazir hopped across the room, gave her a hug and kiss, turned to us and giggled again.

Go into the room Johnny, you’re first

“Gentlemen, this is Anika, my special friend. Go into the room Johnny, you’re first”

“First? First? Errrrrr, First for what exactly?!” Startled, I reply in a mumbling tone. Queue some more incessant giggling, this awkward atmosphere just got a lot more awkward.

“Johnny, you’re silly! First, with my friend, she is so beautiful, look at the curves. We love the big woman, this one is the most popular prostitutes in Bangladesh, and of course in all of Khulna”

What the hell is going on here?! I shared some shocked looks with my mates and looked over at our Bangladeshi friend. He could see our shock, but he didn’t quite grasp the concept of it.

“No, no, no do not worry, you’re my esteemed guests I will go forth of course, you gentlemen can go first, second and third”

“I can go forth, of course”

WTF?! Yep, our new friend is trying to make me do the deed with a morbidly obese Bangladeshi woman, complete with full Niqab headscarf. Then, as if it’s the most normal thing in the world, 2 of my best friends are expected to follow up and finally, our Bangladeshi man will complete this wonderful mixing pot with the fourth instalment. He would generously foot the bill for the whole escapade. Marvellous.

Needless to say, we thanked him profusely for this generous offer but our (imaginary) wives would be so upset that we couldn’t possibly accept his ‘gift’. Of course, we said, were it not for them, we’d be delighted, and honoured naturally.

We made our excuses and asked to be shown out. Nazir stayed of course, and we made our own way back to our guesthouse in Khulna. We arranged to meet at the train station the following day and he quickly turned right back around and straight back up the stairs to the Bangladeshi beauty waiting on the second floor. I don’t even want to imagine what happened next. And that was that.

We met the next day at the train station and not a thing was mentioned about his experience with prostitutes in Bangladesh, and I certainly wasn’t keen to dredge it back up. On to India, we went. Kolkata was waiting, followed by the Taj Mahal in Agra, a bucket-list item for me, and one of the new seven wonders of the world! Certainly a more positive prospect than this run in with prostitutes in Bangladesh!

PS: Don’t go to Bangladesh without travel insurance. $10 a week should do it