Sexworker a new label under which prostitution continues to survive in the western cultures. In the wake of freedom of choice of one's profession, prostitutes in Bangladesh are no longer formally referred to as patita or nati literally, prostitute but are identified as 'commercial sexworker' CSW. The book has a chapter on how commercial sex work should be regulated.
The daughters, sisters or mothers of these CSWs were required to replace them, if they were absent for any reason or in the event of death. Though the profession of CSW was officially recognised it was not an honorable profession. In olden days, sexual services by women were combined with dancing and natini, the Bengali feminine of nati means 'a dancing girl', 'a prostitute', 'a whore'.
Certain castes and tribes of India traditionally followed the profession of CSWs. However, in modern Bangladesh bedeys are not labeled as such. Many of them in the country are followers of islam. The kolhatis and nomadic acrobats from Bombay allowed their women either to marry or to work as CSW. The harni and mang garuda criminal castes of India were associated with the profession of commercial sex and they had a reputation of regularly robbing their clients.
Vatsayana's Kama Sutra states that the profession of CSW was a highly developed art in India and it remains a well-established trade in most Indian cities. It dates from about AD, contains the precepts of pleasure and is even considered a revelation of the gods. Institutions of marriage and family control female sexuality at the community level.
The state controls the sexuality of CSWs in the brothels by registering their names and putting them in designated houses of a red light area commonly known as natipada or besshya pada. The registration of a sexworker is preceded by procurement of a license through an affidavit from a first class magistrate with the help of a notary public. In this affidavit she declares that she has chosen this profession after finding no other source of maintaining herself and there is no one to help her.
